Women as policy makers and donors: Female legislators and foreign aid

- We estimate the causal impact of women in national legislatures on foreign aid.
- Higher female representation increases aid both in total and as a percentage of GDP.
- Gender related aid reallocations occur predominately through bilateral aid.
- Aid is also reallocated in favor of education and health-related projects.
- Female representation yields the largest aid increases for less-developed countries.

This paper investigates whether the gender composition of national legislatures in donor countries impacts the level, composition, and pattern of foreign aid. We provide evidence that the election of female legislators leads countries to increase aid both in total and as a percentage of GDP. Consistent with existing research examining domestic expenditures, we find that the empowerment of women in national legislatures is associated with a reallocation of aid flows in favor of education and health-related projects. These increased flows occur predominately through bilateral aid and reflect a redistribution of aid toward developing countries.