Yes They Can: Genocide, Political Participation, and Female Empowerment

Thorsten Rogall () and Tatiana Zárate-Barrera
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Thorsten Rogall: Economics Department, University of British Columbia

No 338, HiCN Working Papers from Households in Conflict Network

Abstract: We study how genocide can lead to female empowerment, using data from Rwanda. We exploit exogenous variation in transport costs that affected the number of militiamen arriving in each village. We find that in high-violence villages, women are healthier, better educated, wealthier, hold more decision-making power, are less likely to accept and experience domestic violence, work in better jobs, and enjoy more sexual and financial autonomy. In terms of mechanisms, gender imbalances –generated by the militias targeting men –caused a power vacuum that women filled as household heads and local politicians. In office, they provide more public goods. Finally, it seems that younger women are carrying these changes and that gender norms changed. To corroborate the importance of the initial gender imbalance, we exploit exogenous variation in RTLM radio reception. Radio-induced violence targeted women. Given the male surplus, we find negative or no effects on female outcomes.

Keywords: Political Mass Killings; Genocide; Ethnic Conflict; Political Participation; Public Goods Provision; Gender Norms; Domestic Violence (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D72 D74 J16 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 102 pages
Date: 2020-11
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dem and nep-soc
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hic:wpaper:338

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