Pande's new research shows the impact of gender quotas on girls' aspirations in India

To be a young girl in certain Indian villages now is an opportunity --- the 1993 national quota law requiring a third of local village councils to be led by women has changed the way a new generation of girls envision their future. Rohini Pande, Mohammed Kamal Professor of Public Policy, HKS and WAPPP faculty adviser, and colleagues recently published new research analyzing the impact of gender quotas on girls' aspirations in Indian villages.

The paper:
Female Leadership Raises Aspirations and Educational Attainment for Girls: A Policy Experiment in India (with Lori Beaman, Esther Duflo, and Petia Topolava). Sciencexpress DOI: 10.1126/science.1212382, January 12, 2012. Reprint January 25, 2012.


Media coverage:

Female politicians point the way towards equality

Financial Times

As debate rages over the use of gender quotas in the boardroom, an increasing number of countries are introducing them to further women’s representation in the political domain. While some dismiss the quota system as one that clashes with the ideals of the democratic process, there is evidence that these laws help create female role models, and improve educational and professional opportunities for young women.

In India, good things happen when women are in charge

The Globe and Mail
Rohini Pande's research shows that having women on local government dramatically changed the beliefs of young girls about what they can do with their lives.