Maternal mortality and women's political participation

Arbeitspapier

Raising women's political participation leads to faster maternal mortality decline. We estimate that the introduction of quotas for women in parliament results in a 9-12 per cent decline in maternal mortality. In terms of mechanisms, it also leads to an 8-11 per cent increase in skilled birth attendance and a 6-11 per cent increase in prenatal care utilization. We find reinforcing evidence from the period in which the United States experienced rapid declines in maternal mortality. The historical decline made feasible by the introduction of antibiotics was significantly greater in states that had longer exposure to women's suffrage.

Object Details

• ISBN: 978-92-9256-500-8
• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: WIDER Working Paper ; No. 2018/58

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Health and Inequality ; Health and Economic Development ; Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
• Subject: gender ; maternal mortality ; quotas ; suffrage ; women's political representation

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Bhalotra, Sonia R. ; Clarke, Damian ; Gomes, Joseph Flavian ; Venkataramani, Atheendar S.
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): The United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER)
• (where): Helsinki
• (when): 2018

Further information

• DOI: doi:10.35188/UNU-WIDER/2018/500-8
• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/190107
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:45 AM CET