TY  - RPRT
        AU  - Bhalotra, Sonia R.
AU  - Clarke, Damian
AU  - Gomes, Joseph
AU  - Venkataramani, Atheendar
        TI  - Maternal Mortality and Women's Political Participation
        PY  - 2018/Jun/
        PB  - Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
        CY  - Bonn
        T2  - IZA Discussion Paper
        IS  - 11590
        UR  - https://www.iza.org/index.php/publications/dp11590
        AB  - Raising women's political participation leads to faster maternal mortality decline. We estimate that the introduction of quotas for women in parliament results in a 9 to 12% decline in maternal mortality. In terms of mechanisms, it also leads to an 8 to 11% increase in skilled birth attendance and a 6 to 11% increase in prenatal care utilization. We find reinforcing evidence from the period in which the United States experienced rapid declines in maternal mortality. The historical decline made feasible by the introduction of antibiotics was significantly greater in states that had longer exposure to women's suffrage. 
        KW  - gender
KW  - maternal mortality
KW  - suffrage
KW  - women's political representation
KW  - quotas
        ER  -