Arbeitspapier
Why we should all care about social institutions related to gender inequality
Institutions are a major factor explaining development outcomes. This study focuses on social institutions related to gender inequality understood as long-lasting norms, values and codes of conduct that shape gender roles, and presents evidence on why they matter for development. We derive hypotheses from existing theories and empirically test them at the cross-country level with linear regressions using the newly created Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) and its subindices as measures for social institutions. We find that apart from geography, political system, religion, the level of economic development, one has to consider social institutions related to gender inequality to better account for differences in development. Our results show that social institutions that deprive women of their autonomy and bargaining power in the household, or that increase the private costs and reduce the private returns to investments into girls, are associated with lower female education, higher fertility rates and higher child mortality. Moreover, social institutions related to gender inequality are negatively associated with governance measured as rule of law and voice and accountability.
- Language
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Englisch
- Bibliographic citation
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Series: Discussion Papers ; No. 15
Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
Health: General
Education and Research Institutions: General
Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
SIGI
Gender inequality
Fertility
Child and infant mortality
Female education
Governance
Klasen, Stephan
Ziegler, Maria
- Handle
- Last update
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20.09.2024, 8:22 AM CEST
Data provider
ZBW - Deutsche Zentralbibliothek für Wirtschaftswissenschaften - Leibniz-Informationszentrum Wirtschaft. If you have any questions about the object, please contact the data provider.
Object type
- Arbeitspapier
Associated
- Branisa, Boris
- Klasen, Stephan
- Ziegler, Maria
- Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Courant Research Centre - Poverty, Equity and Growth (CRC-PEG)
Time of origin
- 2009