Study points out that race, gender, and family origin limit social mobility in Brazil

A new survey released this Friday (31) reveals that factors such as race, gender, and the economic condition of the family of origin are the main obstacles to social mobility in Brazil. According to the Social Mobility Atlas, developed by the Institute for Mobility and Social Development (Imds) in partnership with Prospera Lab, the Brazilian social structure maintains cycles of poverty that repeat across generations.

The data highlights a strong racial component in the persistence of poverty. While 36.3% of white youth born into low-income families remain in this stratum in adulthood, the rate rises to 51.6% among non-whites. The study points out that education is the factor that contributes most to income advancement, serving as the main driver of social class change.

Gender also exerts a decisive influence on opportunities for advancement. Among the children of families situated in the 25% poorest of the country, the rate of remaining in the same income bracket is 32.9% for men, but reaches 65.1% for women. In the racial breakdown, the disparity is even more pronounced: 69% of non-white women remain among the 25% poorest when adults, compared to 52.9% of white women.

The research shows that the chance of breaking the low-income cycle is reduced: only 8.32% of young people from poor families manage to reach the group of the 25% richest, and only 1.28% reach the top of the pyramid (the 10% with the highest income). In contrast, 56.5% of children from families that already belong to the 25% richest maintain the same socioeconomic status in adult life.

The inequality scenario also varies according to geographic location. The highest chances of social mobility are concentrated in the South, Southeast, and parts of the Midwest regions. Meanwhile, the North and Northeast regions present the lowest rates of advancement, with municipalities such as Assis Brasil (AC) recording that 84.4% of youth from poor families remain in the same income stratum.

The comparative analysis between generations shows that the hierarchy of opportunities remains resilient. Although there was a slight increase in mobility between groups born between 1983-1987 and 1988-1990, the possibility of social advancement for children remains very close to the reality of their parents, reinforcing the persistence of social barriers in the country.