Money, power, and inequality within marriage among Palestinian families in Israel

Abstract

A key factor in promoting egalitarian gender relations is financial independence for women. Palestinian women citizens of Israel (PWCI) serve as a case study for gender relations in a patriarchal society. The financial identity of these women develops alongside general institutional discrimination, dual judicial systems (civil and religious), civil status, and cultural norms. However, factors affecting family budget allocation and financial autonomy of women in this society are not well understood. The present qualitative study used in-depth, semi-structured interviews to analyze patterns of financial allocation in the family system. The findings reveal that the financial independence of most PWCI is limited, although the spectrum ranges from partially autonomous financial management to economic violence. Most couples keep separate accounts, where the wife receives an allowance from her husband, and the wife’s relative financial autonomy is determined by the magnitude of this allowance. Under such conditions, gender relations and power relations are unequal. Most PWCI are unemployed or working in low-paid jobs, and consequently, their contribution to the family budget is considered negligible. However, this meager contribution enables women to participate in financial decision-making, from which they are often excluded by their husband. Furthermore, the ability of women to save money is limited as well, and some must do so in a clandestine manner. The findings shed light on economic autonomy of women, and will allow policy makers to establish criteria for determining when normative economic behavior becomes violent, to promote legislation ensuring equal rights for women.