Seeing is believing- can increasing the number of female leaders reduce sex selection in rural India?

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Kalsi, Priti
• 署名单位: Rochester Institute of Technology
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0304-3878
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2016.12.002
• 发表日期: 2017
• 页码: 1-18
• 关键词: Sex selection; Female politicians; Gender-discrimination

摘要

Cultural values regarding gender roles encourage gender discrimination and the practice of sex selection. Increasing political and work force participation of women challenges such norms. Exploiting the implementation of an Indian law that required one-third of local political seats to be reserved for women, I investigate the impact of female leadership on sex selection in rural India. I find an increase in the survival of higher birth order girls if political seats at the local level have been reserved for women. I argue that the likely underlying mechanism is a change in beliefs due to exposure to female leaders.