Why are Women Less Democratic than Men? Evidence from Sub-Saharan African Countries

35 Pages Posted: 13 Jan 2014

Date Written: December 30, 2013

Abstract

A substantial literature has examined the determinants of support for democracy and although existing work has found a gender gap in democratic attitudes, there have been no attempts to explain it. In this paper we try to understand why females are less supportive of democracy than males in a number of countries. Using data for 20 Sub-Saharan African countries, we test whether the gap is due to individual differences previously ignored or to country-wide characteristics. We find that controlling for individual characteristics does not offset the gender gap, but our results indicate that the gap is eroded by high levels of human development and political rights.

Keywords: support for democracy, gender gap, institutions

JEL Classification: D010, J160, O380, O550

Suggested Citation

García-Peñalosa, Cecilia and Konte, Maty, Why are Women Less Democratic than Men? Evidence from Sub-Saharan African Countries (December 30, 2013). CESifo Working Paper Series No. 4524, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2378245 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2378245

Cecilia García-Peñalosa (Contact Author)

Aix-Marseille University ( email )

3 Avenue Robert Schuman
3 Avenue Robert Schuman,
Aix-en-Provence, 13628
France

Maty Konte

UNU-MERIT ( email )

Keizer Karelplein 19
Maastricht, 6211TC
Netherlands

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