The Impact on Poverty when Empowering Women Politically

• Main Author: Huerta, Rossana
• Format: Others
• Published: Scholarship @ Claremont 2013
• Subjects: Economics
• Online Access: http://scholarship.claremont.edu/scripps_theses/250; http://scholarship.claremont.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1224&context=scripps_theses

Worldwide, there is a low representation of women in elected political positions compared to men. Several studies have shown that women are more concern about women’s and children’s issues. Given that women make up a larger share of the poor, helping women could be one possible way of fighting poverty. The context in which women live can be challenged and changed by empowering women politically. Past studies conducted to analyze the impact that women politicians have on policies and investments they make will be explored in this research study. Specifically, how giving greater political power to women can be an effective strategy in fighting poverty will be analyzed. Data from 196 countries from 1997-2012 on the proportion of seats taken by women in national parliament and other various outcomes will be used in proposed study. It finds that as percentage of women increases in the national parliament, both the population below the national poverty line and children mortality rate decreases.