Women as Policy Makers and Donors: Female Legislators and Foreign Aid

35 Pages Posted: 11 May 2014 Last revised: 17 Jul 2015

See all articles by Daniel L. Hicks

Daniel L. Hicks

University of Oklahoma - Department of Economics

Joan Hicks

University of California, Berkeley - Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA)

Beatriz Maldonado

College of Charleston - Department of Economics; College of Charleston - International and Intercultural Studies Program

Date Written: July 2015

Abstract

This paper investigates whether the gender composition of national legislatures in donor countries impacts the level, composition, and pattern of foreign aid. We provide evidence that the election of female legislators leads countries to increase aid both in total and as a percentage of GDP. Consistent with existing research examining domestic expenditures, we find that the empowerment of women in national legislatures is associated with a reallocation of aid flows in favor of education and health-related projects. These increased flows occur predominately through bilateral aid and reflect a redistribution of aid towards developing countries.

Keywords: foreign aid; female representation in government; gender preferences

JEL Classification: F35, J16, D70

Suggested Citation

Hicks, Daniel Lee and Hicks, Joan and Maldonado, Beatriz, Women as Policy Makers and Donors: Female Legislators and Foreign Aid (July 2015). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2435342 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2435342

Daniel Lee Hicks (Contact Author)

University of Oklahoma - Department of Economics ( email )

729 Elm Avenue
Norman, OK 73019-2103
United States

Joan Hicks

University of California, Berkeley - Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) ( email )

207 Giannini Hall
Berkeley, CA 94720-3310
United States

Beatriz Maldonado

College of Charleston - Department of Economics ( email )

66 George St.
Charleston, SC South Carolina 29424
United States

College of Charleston - International and Intercultural Studies Program ( email )

66 George Street
Charleston, SC 29424
United States

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