Rio, December 3, 2002 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - In the Brazilian case, the report on the situation of the world's population, produced by the UN in partnership with the IBGE, points to another factor of inequality: race. When the data are analyzed for the population that receives a family income of less than half a minimum wage per capita, and race is taken into account, it can be observed that only 34.8% declare themselves to be white, while 77.1% declare themselves black or brown. At the other extreme, in families with incomes of more than two minimum wages, the under-representation is pertinent to black and brown people.

The study also reveals that investments in education generate important benefits, most of all, the investments made in women. These investments turn out to be especially cost-efficient, to the degree that the benefits are passed along to their children. (DAS)