Democracy, transparency, economic development, religion, and women on boards of national Olympic committees: Evidence from 89 countries

Abstract

The authors investigate the connection between a country’s level of democracy, transparency, economic development, religion, and the representation of women on the national Olympic committees’ (NOC) boards. Using data from 89 countries, they analysed how democracy, governance quality, gross national income per capita, and religious composition are associated with women’s representation on NOC boards. Results reveal that countries with higher levels of democracy, greater transparency scores, higher economic development, a large proportion of Protestants, and a higher proportion of Jewish adherents were related to a greater proportion of women on NOC boards. The findings highlight the importance of democratic institutions, governance quality, and economic prosperity in creating conditions that support women’s advancement into decision-making roles, while religious context further influences cultural and normative factors that influence gender equality. Further research should explore the interplay among types of democracy, religious indices, and geographical characteristics to better understand the mechanism driving gender-balanced leadership. Overall, promoting democratic principles, participatory and inclusive governance, transparency, economic opportunity, and religious freedom can facilitate inclusive societal norms and enhance gender diversity, equity, and inclusion leadership roles.