Digital Access to Knowledge and Women in Science

Scientific progress relies on access to prior knowledge, yet costly access to academic literature can hinder researchers, particularly in marginalized positions of academia and developing economies. This paper examines the impact of free or lower-cost access to scientific literature on gender representation in research. Leveraging the staggered adoption of the Hinari program, which provides digital access to health science research, we analyze its effects on women’s participation in research production and academic publishing across more than 600 institutions in 80 countries. Using a triple difference approach, we find that improved digital access to knowledge increases the share of women scientists in publishing faculty and enhances their research output. The program's effects are most pronounced in countries with lower gender balance in educational attainment, where it appears to help overcome attainment gaps and activate women's potential in academic labor markets. Our study contributes to the literature on digitization, access to knowledge and gender disparities in academia, while also helping to inform science and innovation policy and human capital development.