How well do women do when it comes to financial literacy? Proposition of an indicator and analysis of gender differences

Abstract

National strategies aiming to reduce gender inequalities should focus on critical areas, such as financial literacy. However, a method should be established to measure individual financial literacy. We thus develop an indicator to assess financial literacy level and we analyze gender differences. It is possible to identify whether individuals have a low or a high level of financial literacy, as well as to draw a profile of the most vulnerable group. We carried out a survey of 2,485 individuals in Brazil and the main results showed most individuals have a low level of financial literacy across both genders. A significant relationship between financial literacy and gender is observed; the proportion of men is higher among those with a high level of financial literacy. However, the conclusions suggest that greater efforts should be made to reach women, particularly those who are single and have lower levels of education and income.