New research uncovers a significant link between women in political leadership roles and school closure policies during the Covid-19 crisis. The study by economists Natalia Danzer, Sebastian Garcia-Torres, Max Steinhardt and Luca Stella finds that higher female representation in national governments in Europe during the pandemic was associated with a lower likelihood of schools being closed.

One potential explanation, the authors conclude, is that women politicians might have a heightened awareness of the costs that school closures impose on families, particularly working mothers with young children. While their work doesn’t establish causation, it prompts policy-makers to recognise the potential benefits of gender-balanced governments in shaping policies that affect the wellbeing, education and economic prospects of children and families.

The Covid-19 crisis brought unprecedented disruptions to daily life, prompting governments worldwide to implement measures to limit transmission of the virus. Among these policy responses, the closure of schools was a key strategy. Notably, during the peak of the first wave of the pandemic in April 2020, 85% of European Union (EU) countries shut down their schools completely.

To investigate the role of female representation in decisions on school closures, the authors of the new study, who are all based at Freie Universität Berlin, collected and analysed data on representation by gender in 28 European national governments in the pre-pandemic year of 2019 and on Covid-19 containment measures, especially school closures, during the period from March 2020 to September 2021.

The results reveal a significant negative link between the representation of women in political leadership and the likelihood of schools being closed. In the sample, the average female share in national governments was about 31% – ranging from 9% to 58%. According to the estimates, a rise in the share of female members by about 13 percentage points was associated with a reduction in the likelihood of school closures by about 24% relative to the average probability of school closures.

The findings hold when accounting for various systematic differences between countries with larger or smaller female representation in political governing bodies and after rigorous testing, demonstrating a clear negative relationship between women in political power and school closure policies. This innovative research sheds light on the influence of gender diversity in shaping policy responses to crisis situations.

In addition, the study provides suggestive evidence on the reasons behind this phenomenon. One potential explanation is that women politicians might have a heightened awareness of the costs that school closures impose on families, particularly working mothers with young children.

By focusing on the importance of gender diversity in political leadership during the pandemic, this research contributes to the growing body of work exploring how female representation in politics influences policy decisions across various contexts. The study also aligns with broader research on the health and socio-economic costs associated with school closures.

Mounting evidence suggests negative impacts on children’s development, parental wellbeing and labour market participation, particularly among mothers. While the study doesn’t establish causation, it prompts policy-makers to recognise the potential benefits of gender-balanced governments in shaping policies that affect the wellbeing, education and economic prospects of children and families.

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Women in Political Power and School Closure During Covid Times

Authors:

Natalia Danzer (Freie Universität Berlin, CESifo, IZA)
Sebastian Garcia-Torres (Freie Universität Berlin)
Max Steinhardt (Freie Universität Berlin, IZA, LdA)
Luca Stella (Freie Universität Berlin, CESifo, IZA)