Unraveling the Pillars of Governance: How Economic Prosperity, Gender Equity, and Environmental Control Shape the Rule of Law Globally
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63075/z7vhc620Abstract
This study examines how global living standards, women’s empowerment, and pollution control influence the Rule of Law across nations. Drawing from modernization theory and feminist institutionalism, it quantifies the institutional effects of economic well-being, gender equality in law, and environmental stress on legal integrity worldwide. Using 2019 data from the World Development Indicators for 114 countries, the research employs a cross-sectional Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) model with the Rule of Law as the dependent variable and GDP per capita (PPP), the Women Business and Law Index, and Air Pollution as independent variables. The model achieves an adjusted R² of 0.66, showing that these variables explain 66% of the variation in Rule of Law. Results indicate that women’s empowerment and higher living standards have strong, positive, and statistically significant effects, while air pollution’s influence is positive but insignificant. The findings highlight the importance of gender-inclusive legal reforms and equitable economic growth in strengthening the Rule of Law, and advocate for integrated governance policies aligned with SDG 5, SDG 8, and SDG 16.
Keywords: Women Empowerment, Legal Gender Equality, Women Business and Law Index, Rule of Law, Air Pollution, Environmental Governance, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), GDP per Capita PPP, Global Standard of Living
