Maria Ziegler, M.A., studied Public Policy and Management at the University of Konstanz, Germany and at the Université Paris-1, Panthéon-sorbonne, France. During her studies she specialized in policy analysis and evaluation research as well as in the politics of development. She wrote her Master thesis about the formulation and implementation of multisectoral policies in the poverty reduction process in Bolivia. She is currently doing her Ph.D. at the University of Goettingen, Germany, under supervision of Prof. Stephan Klasen, Ph.D. Her research interests are development economics, institutions, public administration research, policy analysis and gender. One of her article focuses on the impact of political institutions on the level of human development in a country and asks whether and why it is the political system - holding constant the level of economic development and other factors - that makes a difference for the living standard of the population. Other articles like the one presented at the conference focus on the measurement of social institutions as roots of gender discrimination and on their impact on health, education, demographics and governance. Maria Ziegler worked as a consultant for the Bertelsmann Foundation, the German Development Cooperation - Technical Assistance (GTZ) and the OECD.