The Brazilian Senate has introduced an unprecedented bill to fight poverty.

Known as the 'Anti-Poverty Fund' , the measure, if passed, would alter the country's constitution to force the government to spend a minimum of two-point-three billion dollars annually to help Brazil's twenty-four million most impoverished people.

A spokeswoman for one of the senator's who drafted the bill said it had received surprisingly broad support from both right and left wing parties.

She said the first funds would be available in June and would be paid for by tax increases. According to the bill, all income from interest earned on privatisations of state-owned companies would go straight to the fund.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service