Economic Independence: A Path to Eliminating Violence Against Women

Recent EU data reveals that one in three women has experienced physical, sexual, or threatening violence in her adult life. Alarmingly, these patterns remain largely unchanged from a decade ago.

Economic independence plays a decisive role in this struggle. Empowering women's financial freedom is not just a matter of equality—it’s a strategic tool for combating violence and building more resilient communities.

Key figures*:

  » Women earn 1/3 less than their partners in the EU

  » Overall gender earnings gap is around 36.2%

  » 7% of women indicate their partner forbids them to work and/or controls family finances

  » Over 40% of women are not engaged in paid work in Italy

  » Gender pension gap amounts to 26% in the EU and 32% in Italy

*European Institute for Gender Equality

Barriers and the Role of Banks in Dismantling Them

Women often face three interconnected obstacles: restricted access to income, low financial skills, and economic violence. 

Banks and the financial sector can play a pivotal role in breaking these barriers through three main levers:

»  Inclusive Products: Flexible savings plans, microcredit, and investment solutions tailored to women’s needs, including career breaks or caregiving responsibilities.

»  Education: Financial literacy programs that empower women to make informed decisions about budgeting, investing, and long-term planning. Education should start early and continue across life stages.

»  Policies: Gender-sensitive workplace and lending practices, equal access to financing, and systemic advocacy for equity.
 

UniCredit’s Commitment

At UniCredit, we are committed to supporting women’s financial independence through concrete actions. 

In Italy, the Microcredito di Libertà program, developed with the National Microcredit Agency, provides loans to women in vulnerable situations, helping them escape economic dependence and gender-based violence. Our bank also works with anti-violence centers across country to share financial tools that foster autonomy. 

Internally, UniCredit offers colleagues the Anti-Violence Listening Desk, a confidential service providing counseling, legal and psychological support, and guidance to activate local networks. These initiatives reflect UniCredit’s broader commitment to gender equality and inclusion. Furthermore, UniCredit promotes gender equality through DE&I programmes including microaggressions learning paths, inclusive language programs, female leadership and maternity-return coaching, and webinars on economic violence. 

We partner with the Italian Banking Association on initiatives like Carta delle Donne and Una donna, un lavoro, un conto, and apply clear guidelines on inclusive recruiting and gender transition. 

Our efforts also include reducing the gender pay gap on comparable roles (from ~4% to ~1%) and achieving Global EDGE Certification for gender equity.

Best Practice: “Conversazioni sul Denaro” Initiative

Financial literacy is more than numbers—it’s about empowerment. That’s why UniCredit created Conversazioni sul Denaro, part of our Banking Academy, to make financial education accessible and engaging for everyone. 

Today, we take a new step with the session Economic Independence at 4 PM.

Join here » Conversations about Money (Italian only)

During the webinar, we will explore economic violence—behaviors that create financial dependency—through real-life testimonies and expert insights, offering practical tools to recognize and prevent it. We will also reaffirm our commitment by showcasing UniCredit’s initiatives, both internal and external, to fight all forms of violence. 

Through these conversations, UniCredit aims to break down barriers to financial literacy, fostering autonomy and resilience for future generations.

Finally, in support of the global Orange the World campaign, tonight the UniCredit Tower in Milan will light up its spire in orange, while our two branches in Vienna and Graz will be lit up in orange for the next 16 days until International Human Rights Day on December 10. Orange LED strips will also be lit up in numerous UniCredit branches across Austria.