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Women in cabinet and public health spending: Evidence across countries

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  • Astghik Mavisakalyan

Abstract

This article studies the effect of women’s cabinet representation on public health policy outcomes. Based on a large sample of countries in the year 2000, the analysis shows that an increase in the share of women in cabinet is associated with an increase in public health spending. There is also an indication of a decrease in the gender gap in life expectancies in places with higher cabinet representation of women. The endogeneity of women’s cabinet representation is accounted for by using the share of daughters that a national leader parents as an instrument.

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  • Astghik Mavisakalyan, 2012. "Women in cabinet and public health spending: Evidence across countries," ANU Working Papers in Economics and Econometrics 2012-574, Australian National University, College of Business and Economics, School of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:acb:cbeeco:2012-574
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    File URL: https://www.cbe.anu.edu.au/researchpapers/econ/wp574.pdf
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    Cited by:

    1. Alessandra Capezio & Astghik Mavisakalyan, 2016. "Women in the boardroom and fraud: Evidence from Australia," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 41(4), pages 719-734, November.
    2. Mavisakalyan, Astghik & Tarverdi, Yashar, 2019. "Oil and women: A re-examination," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 191-200.
    3. Jean-Louis Keene, 2020. "Essays on political economy and development [Essais sur l'économie politique et le développement]," SciencePo Working papers Main tel-04125445, HAL.
    4. Bitoto, Fabrice Ewolo & Nkoa Ongo, Emmanuel Bruno, 2024. "Natural resource rents and public spending on education in Africa: Does women's political empowerment matter?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    5. Astghik Mavisakalyan & Yashar Tarverdi, 2023. "Identity and support for policies towards Indigenous people: evidence from Australia," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 167(1), pages 535-570, June.
    6. Ziroat Mirziyoyeva & Raufhon Salahodjaev, 2022. "Women’s Parliamentary Representation and Sustainable Development Goals: a Cross-Country Evidence," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(2), pages 871-883, April.
    7. Kuliomina, Jekaterina, 2021. "Do personal characteristics of councilors affect municipal budget allocation?," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    8. Nabamita Dutta & Saibal Kar & Israt Jahan, 2024. "Environmental policy implementation, gender, and corruption," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 25(2), pages 257-290, June.
    9. Raufhon Salahodjaev & Barno Abdullaeva & Shakhnoza Tosheva & Arletta Isaeva, 2021. "Female Parliamentarians and the Distribution of National Happiness," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 16(4), pages 1571-1585, August.
    10. Ozdamar, Oznur, 2017. "Gendered economic policy making: The case of public expenditures on family allowances," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal (2007-2020), Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel), vol. 11, pages 1-28.
    11. Sosson Tadadjeu & Alim Belek & Henri Njangang & Marie-Laure Belomo & Brice Kamguia, 2021. "Does women's political empowerment promote public health expenditure in Africa?," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 41(3), pages 1959-1969.
    12. Kodila-Tedika, Oasis & Khalifa, Sherif & Konso Mulali, Ben, 2020. "Who Becomes Minister in an Autocratic Regime? Evidence From DRC," MPRA Paper 103022, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    13. Baraldi, Anna Laura & Fosco, Giovanni, 2024. "Clearing the Air: Women in Politics and Air Pollution," MPRA Paper 121377, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    14. Mavisakalyan, Astghik & Tarverdi, Yashar, 2019. "Gender and climate change: Do female parliamentarians make difference?," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 151-164.
    15. Neha Bhardwaj Upadhayay, 2020. "Uncovering the proliferation of contingent protection through channels of retaliation, gender and development assistance," Erudite Ph.D Dissertations, Erudite, number ph20-02 edited by Julie Lochard & Catherine Bros.
    16. Rafał Woźniak & Jacek Lewkowicz, 2023. "Can We Have More Butter and Guns Simultaneously? An Endogeneity Perspective," Gospodarka Narodowa. The Polish Journal of Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, issue 2, pages 28-46.
    17. Kodila-Tedika, Oasis, 2018. "Does Masculinity Matter for Female Leaders? Evidence in cross-section countries," MPRA Paper 84776, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    18. Roula Inglesi-Lotz & Anna Maria Oosthuizen & Sharifa Jumaniyazova & Bekhzod Kuziboev & Jie Liu, 2024. "Exploring the Impact of Women Governance on CO2 Emissions in the European Union and Central Asia," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 14(3), pages 639-646, May.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H11 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Structure and Scope of Government
    • H51 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Health
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination

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