Publication:
From Patriarchy to Policy: Norms, Votes, and Gender Equal Laws

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dc.contributor.authorBussolo, Maurizio
dc.contributor.authorRexer, Jonah M.
dc.contributor.authorHu, Lynn
dc.date.accessioned2025-05-29T19:06:52Z
dc.date.available2025-05-29T19:06:52Z
dc.date.issued2025-05-29
dc.description.abstractLegal institutions play an important role in shaping gender equality in economic domains, from inheritance to labor markets. But where do gender equal laws come from? Using cross-country data on social norms and legal equality, this paper investigates the socio-cultural roots of gender inequity in the legal system and its implications for female labor force participation. To identify the impact of social norms, the analysis uses an empirical strategy that exploits pre-modern differences in ancestral patriarchal culture as an instrument for present-day gender norms. The findings show that ancestral patriarchal culture is a strong predictor of contemporary norms, and conservative social norms are associated with more gender inequality in the de jure legal framework, the de facto implementation of laws, and the labor market. The paper presents evidence for a political selection mechanism linking norms to laws: countries with more conservative norms elect political leaders who are more hostile to gender equality, who then pass less progressive legislation. The results highlight the cultural roots and political drivers of legalized gender inequality.en
dc.identifierhttp://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/099424105292538084
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10986/43261
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.publisherWashington, DC: World Bank
dc.relation.ispartofseriesPolicy Research Working Paper; 11135
dc.rightsCC BY 3.0 IGO
dc.rights.holderWorld Bank
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/
dc.subjectDECENT WORK
dc.subjectGENDER EQUALITY
dc.subjectGENDER AND EMPLOYMENT
dc.subjectLAWS AND GENDER EQUALITY
dc.titleFrom Patriarchy to Policyen
dc.title.subtitleNorms, Votes, and Gender Equal Lawsen
dc.typeWorking Paper
dspace.entity.typePublication
okr.date.disclosure2025-05-29
okr.date.lastmodified2025-05-29T17:07:37Zen
okr.doctypePolicy Research Working Paper
okr.doctypePublications & Research
okr.docurlhttp://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/099424105292538084
okr.guid099424105292538084
okr.identifier.docmidIDU-7a02ebe2-7b5e-48e4-8479-f8bd61de8d4e
okr.identifier.doi10.1596/1813-9450-11135
okr.identifier.externaldocumentum40017431
okr.identifier.internaldocumentum40017431
okr.identifier.reportWPS11135
okr.import.id7507
okr.importedtrueen
okr.language.supporteden
okr.pdfurlhttps://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/099424105292538084/pdf/IDU-7a02ebe2-7b5e-48e4-8479-f8bd61de8d4e.pdfen
okr.region.geographicalWorld
okr.sectorFY17 - Social Protection
okr.sectorSocial Protection
okr.themeFY17 - Gender,FY17 - Data production, accessibility and use,FY17 - Social Insurance and Pensions,FY17 - Social Safety Nets,FY17 - Data Development and Capacity Building,FY17 - Social Protection,FY17 - Social protection delivery systems
okr.themeFY17 - Human Development and Gender,FY17 - Social Development and Protection,FY17 - Public Sector Management
okr.topicGender::Gender and Economics
okr.topicGender::Gender and Law
okr.topicSocial Protections and Labor::Employment and Unemployment
okr.unitOffice of the Chief Economist (SARCE)
relation.isAuthorOfPublicationd0039343-97ad-5806-88d5-81b58fee8116
relation.isAuthorOfPublication.latestForDiscoveryd0039343-97ad-5806-88d5-81b58fee8116
relation.isSeriesOfPublication26e071dc-b0bf-409c-b982-df2970295c87
relation.isSeriesOfPublication.latestForDiscovery26e071dc-b0bf-409c-b982-df2970295c87
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