Including women in local councils is strongly negatively associated with the prevalence of both petty and grand forms of corruption. This reduction in corruption is primarily experienced among women. A study suggests that female representatives seek to further two separate political agendas once they attain public office: 1) the improvement of public service delivery in sectors that tend to primarily benefit women, and 2) the breakup of male-dominated collusive networks.

Main points:

• Increased representation of women in elected office can reduce both petty and grand corruption. 
• Women in elected office reduce corruption both because they are risk averse and because they have a different political agenda than men.
• Women in elected office reduce petty corruption in their efforts to improve public service delivery and grand corruption because it is detrimental to their political careers. 
• Women in elected office reduce the rate of bribery for public services, particularly for women. 
• Donors can promote women’s representation and reduced corruption through supporting the anti-corruption agendas chosen by women.

Click here to see the study.