A study conducted by Millennium Institute MIPP researcher Damian Clarke demonstrates that gender quotas in parliaments are linked to a significant reduction in maternal deaths in developing countries, highlighting the importance of gender equality in politics.
Maternal mortality, defined as the death of a woman during pregnancy, childbirth, or within 42 days after delivery due to pregnancy-related causes, is a global health issue, particularly in developing countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that in 2017, approximately 295,000 women died during and after pregnancy and childbirth.
These deaths are largely preventable, and regional disparities are evident: 94% of all maternal deaths occur in low-income and resource-limited settings. Factors such as lack of access to healthcare, poverty, and lack of education contribute to these high mortality rates.
The United Nations, through its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), has set a target to reduce the global maternal mortality rate to less than 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030. However, achieving this goal requires concerted efforts on multiple fronts, including improving healthcare services, education, and social policies that support women.
In recent years, there has been growing interest in how policies and political representation can influence health outcomes. Women’s participation in politics has been considered a potential avenue for improving women’s living and health conditions.
The idea is that female legislators can positively influence policymaking that benefits women’s health, including prenatal care, access to trained healthcare professionals during childbirth, and the availability of family planning services. Previous studies have shown that the presence of women in leadership roles can lead to greater attention to health, education, and social welfare policies.
Since 1990, the maternal mortality rate (MMR) has decreased by 44%, partly due to the increased representation of women in parliaments. During the same period, the proportion of women in parliaments rose from less than 10% to over 20%. This correlation suggests a possible relationship between women’s political representation and improved maternal health outcomes.
In this context, the study Maternal Mortality and Women’s Political Power, conducted by Millennium Institute MIPP researcher Damian Clarke along with academics Sonia Bhalotra, Joseph Flavian Gomes, and Atheendar Venkataramani, examines the relationship between female representation in parliaments and maternal mortality, using data from 178 countries between 1990 and 2015. This study was published in the Journal of the European Economic Association and is freely available at the following link.
Read the full article on this study at Miradas MIPP here: https://www.mipp.cl/miradas/la-representacion-femenina-en-la-politica-y-su-impacto-en-la-mortalidad-materna/
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