Social policies toward families in the new millennium: Argentina and Latin America .

1. Social policies toward families in the new millennium: Argentina and Latin America. Prof Cristina Gonzales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina

2. Social policies toward families in the new millennium: Argentina and Latin America. The apogee of neoliberalism: The Washington Consensus (89-95) • Fundamental premise of the Washington Consensus: the expansion of free markets results in economic development and welfare (trickle-down theory) . • Strong influence of multilateral financing agencies (International Monetary Fund – IMF- World Bank – WB- Inter-American Development Bank- IDB) on public policy making. • Deconcentration: Shift of responsibility of certain social policies (e.g., education and health) from national to sub-national and local jurisdictions (keeping control of central Government). • Re-privatization/outsourcing of social services (to NGOs). • Implementation of “targeting strategies” to specific areas (e.g., malnutrition, maternal and child health) and populations (economically vulnerable sectors). • Expansion of workfare programmes (benefit payments in exchange of communitarian, institutional or private labour) as a main modality of assistance to the poor.

3. The transition from “first generation” (Washington Consensus) to “second generation” reforms (Post-Washington Consensus): Mid-90s- Early 2000s. Principle: combination of economic and social development. • Main characteristics: • Combination of state and civil society (NGOs) in the implementation of social programs • Promotion of “good governance”, “sustainable development”, “participation”, “human development”, “social capital”, among other principles for political and administrative policies and social intervention. • Policies of poverty alleviation targeted to poor and indigent families.

4. The Post-Washington Consensus: redefinition of familialist policies Families as units of observation and intervention: women as guarantors of the administration of households and intermediaries between social programs and beneficiaries. Conditional cash-transfer policies: "Empowerment" and greater participation of women at the expense of work overload (household, paid labour, community work).

5. XXI Century: Towards a System of Basic Social Protection (Argentina) • Return of the State: establishment of a "Social Protection Floor" that combines a minimum of economic security and access to basic services (universal coverage grounded on rights) • New type of familialism: directionality to women in their role as mothers (deepening of maternalistic tradition) • Prioritisation of services aimed at relieving family care, with obstacles in its implementation, coordination and coverage. • Gradual strengthening of policy measures addressing violence against women, intra-household violence, sexual abuse and illegal human trafficking. • Weak policy of reconciliation of wage labour and family care. • Absence of policy for the promotion of co- responsibility in family work.