Maternity subsidy in Chile: a case of multiple objectives

Abstract

The benefits of maternal subsidy and of paid permission for the mother to take care of her infant child in cases of severe illness, in Chile, are described, including the amounts and distribution of the relevant expenditure. Also, their relationships with fertility and with the morbidity of infants. It is argued that this has become a situation of multiple objectives. These are made explicit, along with the present and possible mechanisms for achieving them. This is necesary in order to start prioritizing those that are most valid from the viewpoint of social policy. The economic features of a policy oriented in favour of equity and of exclusive breast feeding are estimated; arguments and strategies for such a policy are presented.