ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author merges demographic and health survey data with World Bank and African Development Bank Group governance indicators in order to test for lag effects on the availability of cell phone technology in women's households. She examines their contribution to outcomes that are important to women that should result from effective governance. Inspired by Asongu and Nwachukwu's 2016 analysis of 2000–2012 World Bank development and governance indicators, the author also examines whether cell phones contribute to the relative diffusion of knowledge in Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and Malawi. She explores whether political, economic, and institutional governance in these countries has a positive effect on women's lives. The author also examines "better governance" in a way that considers factors that are relevant to gender equity, and cell phones, knowledge diffusion, and people-centered governance to include measures of women's status.
