Women in government linked to better public spending in developing countries

A World Bank study found that when more women hold political power in developing countries, governments spend public money more efficiently and with less waste. This suggests that political representation isn't just about fairness — it appears to change how governments actually function and distribute resources.

If women's political participation structurally improves how governments spend money, it reframes a development economics problem: the constraint on progress in poor countries may not be total budget size but who controls spending decisions.