Driving Women's Financial Inclusion at All Levels
Explore the latest global and regional insights from Women’s World Banking’s work in policy, leadership, women’s entrepreneurship, gender lens investing, and more.
Latest Posts
Closing the Access to Skills Gap: Resource Roundup
As part of our work focused on closing the skills gap, we are collating in one place resources from Women’s Digital Financial Inclusion (WDFI) Advocacy Hub coalition members to help governments, financial service providers and civil society organizations ensure every woman has access to initiatives that can increase her confidence
Building Local Presence for Scale & Impact in Africa
By Ade Ashaye, Regional Head for Africa, Women’s World Banking If you ever find yourself in Lagos, particularly Marina, you’ll encounter a bustling financial hub. Picture a towering 30-story marble tower, which serves as the headquarters for one of the largest banks in Africa. Right next door is an open
Bridging the Gender Gap: How Fintechs Drive Financial Inclusion
Fintech companies are reshaping the way we interact with money and financial services, and their impact goes beyond just convenience and efficiency. A fintech, or financial technology company, is an innovative organization that leverages digital technology to provide a wide range of financial services, including digital banking, mobile payments and
How Digital Financial Services Break Down Barriers and Empower Young Women in Cambodia
By Ker Thao, Maria Serenade, and Elwyn Panggabean In Cambodia, three million out of 10 million young adults remain financially underserved, hindering their ability to plan and invest for their futures. As part of its drive for greater financial inclusion, Women’s World Banking is working with AMK Microfinance Institution –
Advancing Women in Leadership Roles: Inclusion Insights
Women’s representation in leadership positions remains a pressing issue globally. According to OMFIF’s 2023 Gender Balance Index, at the current rate of progress, it would take over a century to achieve gender parity in leadership roles for central banks and major financial institutions. Despite significant advancements in recent years, women
Women’s World Banking’s Workshop in Cambodia on Leveraging the Power of Data for Effective Credit Risk Assessment
Phnom Penh – Dr. Sonja Kelly, Global Vice President for Research and Advocacy at Women’s World Banking, conducted a workshop on “Leveraging the Power of Data for Effective Credit Risk Assessment” for financial services providers in Cambodia, at the Hyatt Regency in Phnom Penh, on 11 August 2023. This workshop
Gender Lens Investing: Driving Financial Returns and Social Impact
What is Gender Lens Investing? Gender lens investing has emerged as a powerful impact investment strategy that combines pursuing financial returns with pursuing gender equality and social well-being. It recognizes the importance of investing in women as business owners, as purchasers/customers, as well as in their workforce and leadership roles,
The Pandemic Impact on Women in India: Insights on Financial Resilience & Fallback Position
The COVID-19 pandemic affected women in India in many ways. A Women’s World Banking survey conducted in the Fall of 2021 in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal gives light to the ways in which women in these states were impacted by the pandemic. Women in these two states responded to
Charting the Path to Universal Financial Inclusion
Read Part 1, From Exclusion to Empowerment: The Meaning of Financial Inclusion The Cost of Financial Exclusion of Women Despite women’s increasing influence in the global economy and their significant contribution to consumer spending, the fact remains that nearly a billion women worldwide are unbanked and lack access to essential
From Exclusion to Empowerment: The Meaning of Financial Inclusion
“Although three-quarters of a billion women are still excluded from the formal financial system, we remain steadfast in the mission to usher in universal financial inclusion to unlock the potential of women worldwide.” – Mary Ellen Iskenderian, President and CEO of Women’s World Banking What is Financial Inclusion? Our world
