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Health and the Political Agency of Women

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  • Bhalotra, Sonia R.

    (University of Warwick)

  • Clots-Figueras, Irma

    (University of Kent)

Abstract

We investigate whether politician gender influences policy outcomes in India. We focus upon antenatal and postnatal public health provision since the costs of poor services in this domain are disproportionately borne by women. Accounting for potential endogeneity of politician gender and the sample composition of births, we find that a one standard deviation increase in women's political representation results in a 1.5 percentage point reduction in neonatal mortality. Women politicians are more likely to build public health facilities and encourage antenatal care, institutional delivery and immunization. The results are topical given that a bill proposing quotas for women in state assemblies is currently pending in the Indian Parliament.

Suggested Citation

  • Bhalotra, Sonia R. & Clots-Figueras, Irma, 2011. "Health and the Political Agency of Women," IZA Discussion Papers 6216, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp6216
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    political identity; gender; mortality; health; social preferences; India;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H41 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Public Goods
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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