The Paradox of Women's Financial Control: Earning More, Spending Less

This study explores the conflict between formal financial inclusion and the everyday power dynamics within households as experienced by working women. It goes beyond the assumption that access to financial resources automatically equates to personal independence, examining how unwritten domestic hierarchies affect a woman's real control over her income. The findings reveal a significant gap between systemic integration and practical autonomy. Although many women have their own bank accounts, cultural expectations often compel them to hand over their salaries and seek family approval for personal expenditures. Importantly, the research challenges traditional economic bargaining models by showing that greater relative earnings do not necessarily enhance a woman's negotiating power; in fact, earning more than family members can trigger heightened domestic surveillance aimed at maintaining traditional gender roles. Ultimately, the study concludes that simply expanding financial products addresses only the superficial aspects of economic exclusion, while achieving genuine autonomy demands a shift in the informal social norms that shape the domestic balance of power.