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Gender in the time of COVID-19: Evaluating national leadership and COVID-19 fatalities

Author

Listed:
  • Leah C Windsor
  • Gina Yannitell Reinhardt
  • Alistair J Windsor
  • Robert Ostergard
  • Susan Allen
  • Courtney Burns
  • Jarod Giger
  • Reed Wood

Abstract

In this paper we explore whether countries led by women have fared better during the COVID-19 pandemic than those led by men. Media and public health officials have lauded the perceived gender-related influence on policies and strategies for reducing the deleterious effects of the pandemic. We examine this proposition by analyzing COVID-19-related deaths globally across countries led by men and women. While we find some limited support for lower reported fatality rates in countries led by women, they are not statistically significant. Country cultural values offer more substantive explanation for COVID-19 outcomes. We offer several potential explanations for the pervasive perception that countries led by women have fared better during the pandemic, including data selection bias and Western media bias that amplified the successes of women leaders in OECD countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Leah C Windsor & Gina Yannitell Reinhardt & Alistair J Windsor & Robert Ostergard & Susan Allen & Courtney Burns & Jarod Giger & Reed Wood, 2020. "Gender in the time of COVID-19: Evaluating national leadership and COVID-19 fatalities," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(12), pages 1-26, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0244531
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244531
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Maity, Shrabanti & Barlaskar, Ummey Rummana, 2022. "Women's political leadership and efficiency in reducing COVID-19 death rate: An application of technical inefficiency effects model across Indian states," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 82(PB).
    2. Lalisa A. Duguma & Meine van Noordwijk & Peter A. Minang & Kennedy Muthee, 2021. "COVID-19 Pandemic and Agroecosystem Resilience: Early Insights for Building Better Futures," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-22, January.
    3. Raphael Bruce & Alexsandros Cavgias & Luis Meloni & Mario Remigio, 2021. "Under Pressure: Women's Leadership During the COVID-19 Crisis," Working Papers, Department of Economics 2021_19, University of São Paulo (FEA-USP).
    4. Bessho, S., 2023. "Elections and COVID-19 benefit payments," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    5. Bruce, Raphael & Cavgias, Alexsandros & Meloni, Luis & Remígio, Mário, 2022. "Under pressure: Women’s leadership during the COVID-19 crisis," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    6. Anderson Reis de Sousa & Jules Ramon Brito Teixeira & Emanuel Missias Silva Palma & Wanderson Carneiro Moreira & Milena Bitencourt Santos & Herica Emilia Félix de Carvalho & Éric Santos Almeida & Raís, 2021. "Psychological Distress in Men during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Brazil: The Role of the Sociodemographic Variables, Uncertainty, and Social Support," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-19, December.
    7. Sreten Simović & Tijana Ivanišević & Bojana Bradić & Svetlana Čičević & Aleksandar Trifunović, 2021. "What Causes Changes in Passenger Behavior in South-East Europe during the COVID-19 Pandemic?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-11, July.
    8. Gina Yannitell Reinhardt & Carmela Lutmar, 2022. "Disaster diplomacy: The intricate links between disaster and conflict," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 59(1), pages 3-11, January.
    9. Süheyla Üçışık Erbilen & Merve Uysal, 2023. "The Common Point of Countries Successful Policies in the Struggle Against COVID-19: Women Leaders," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(2), pages 21582440231, June.

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