Women, finance and the digital divide: removing structural obstacles

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Jacqueline Schneeder, a banker for over 30 years, digital assistant at the city of Metz and committed to the fight for equal opportunities, delivers a lucid analysis on women's access to finance, economic independence and digital technology. An interview that intersects economy, society and public policy.

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Economic precariousness that is still too silent

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In France, women continue to face massive economic inequalities. They more often work part-time, suffer more career breaks (motherhood, caregiving), and their wealth level remains lower than that of men. Upon separation, their standard of living drops by an average of 22%, compared to 3% for men.

More structurally, they invest less than men: 15% of them invest in the stock market compared to 45% of men. This is partly due to lower self-confidence, which is itself the result of conditioning from childhood — where, Jacqueline recalls, boys receive four times as much pocket money as girls.

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The central role of financial education

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Access to financial knowledge remains a privilege, rarely passed on by the school. Even in higher education, few young people know how to read a pay slip or understand taxes. This educational deficit leads to concrete losses: an Allianz study shows a gap of €3,000 per year between a person with low financial education and someone at the average level — a gap that climbs to €40,000 over 10 years.

Jacqueline calls for the establishment of a “financial general practitioner”: an advisor capable of making a basic diagnosis and referring to the right specialists.

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Digital inclusion: the new front of inequality

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The other major divide mentioned concerns digital technology. Women, especially the most precarious, are over-represented among people in a situation of “digital distress”. The lack of equipment, skills, or simply trust, distances them from their rights, from employment, or even from their autonomy.

To remedy this, Jacqueline founded digital cafes and set up specific training courses. Its action is based on a simple observation: without digital inclusion, there can be no sustainable economic integration.

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The school, the family, the biases: acting from childhood

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From an early age, gendered mechanisms take place: boys are valued for taking risks, girls are encouraged to be careful and discreet. These differences then shape the relationship with investment, career, relationship and money.

Jacqueline insists on the importance of parental vigilance: giving as much pocket money, encouraging so much audacity, and offering a balanced representation of jobs and success.

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What to do in concrete terms?

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According to her, it is not about creating financial services “for women”, but about addressing behavioral and cultural biases. This involves:

• More financial education from school,
• The demystification of technical jobs,
• The active promotion of female role models,
• A better link between local employment and training.

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A conclusion full of momentum

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Jacqueline's last word?

“You have everything possible in front of you. Be curious about everything. Nothing is closed to you, nothing is forbidden to you. Have confidence in yourself. And dare.”