Over the past several years we’ve seen more women entering the workforce. This is a positive shift. Women are earning, contributing and becoming financially active. But earning money is only the first phase of financial empowerment.
The next phase is having the confidence to manage that money and make decisions around it.
In many families, financial decisions are often handled by fathers, husbands, brothers or sons. And that is not necessarily wrong. In any household, responsibilities often fall to the person who is more comfortable or experienced handling them.
But is that because they are better with money, or because that is what we have been taught to believe? Are men more confident with money because they are naturally better at it, or because they have simply been encouraged to deal with it more often?
Something I observed recently made me curious. Moneybar had opened a stall. Many boys and men walked in, looked around, asked questions and made decisions. Some bought our products, some didn’t. But they seemed comfortable choosing.
Many women on the other hand approached the stall differently. Some were more hesitant and shy. Some took longer to decide. A few even seemed unsure whether they should step forward.
This is not a generalisation and it certainly does not apply to everyone. But it made me wonder if this difference begins much earlier in life.
Who is encouraged to take space, make choices, spend and ask questions? And who is taught to hesitate, double check and seek permission before deciding?
Perhaps the next phase of women’s financial empowerment is not just about earning money, but about feeling comfortable participating in decisions around money. It is high time women felt just as capable and confident making such decisions.
Maybe it is time for more women to step into this next phase of financial empowerment. And cheers to those who already are.
Paweü Kayina
founder@moneybar.in
Wednesday, March 18, 2026