Summary - Our money
Women and men on the importance of income and economic independence for women
Original title: "Ons geld"
Increasing the economic independence of women has for decades been a key element in the Dutch government’s emancipation policy. The government believes that women should earn at least 70% of the minimum wage through paid work. In 2017, that equated to a net income of 950 euros per month, which is regarded as the minimum amount needed to live on if a woman should find herself living alone. Given the 40% failure rate of relationships, that possibility is not a fanciful one. Despite this, only six out of ten women in the Netherlands earn enough to live on according to this criterion.
This study looks at why women do not work more hours in order to earn more. Do women actually feel their own financial independence is important, including where they have a partner who earns enough for both of them? And what do those partners expect from the woman financially?