On June 4th, Human Development Lab associate Marcela Mello participated in an academic seminar hosted by Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
During the seminar, Professor Mello presented her paper titled “Religious Mayors, Teenage Pregnancy, and Sexual Education in Schools.” Her study examines how the religious ideology of local authorities can shape public policy in areas such as education and health. Focusing on the case of Brazil, she shared the following insight: “My study shows that the election of a Pentecostal mayor in Brazil increases teenage pregnancy rates by around 10% and reduces the provision of sex education in municipal schools; the regression discontinuity approach supports that the effect stems from religious ideology rather than from generic conservatism.”
Reflecting on the event, Marcela Mello emphasized the value of academic spaces that foster dialogue and exchange around ongoing research.
