Dynamic Impact of Legislative Gender Quotas on Female Representation in Cabinets

Abstract

Do gender quotas increase female representation in government cabinets? Informal theories suggest a supply shock of female legislators enhances women’s presence at higher levels of power. I analyze the gradual implementation of effective gender quotas across 154 countries (1966–2015) using a staggered difference-in-differences design. Quotas increase the share of female ministers by 2–4 percentage points over 20 years of reform, with a 6–12 percentage point increase over 15–20 years. Using a novel dataset of ministers in 14 African countries, I show that quotas increase the share of ministers with prior legislative experience. I also find no negative impact on ministerial competence or ethnic diversity of cabinets. These findings highlight the importance of sustained affirmative action in breaking the glass ceiling.