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.
By Sonja Kelly, Director of Research and Advocacy, and Mehrdad Mirpourian, Senior Data Analyst The discussion around artificial intelligence (AI) as a driving force for the economy and society has become increasingly popular, as evidenced by more than two dozen AI-focused sessions at the 2024 World Economic Forum in Davos.
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
By Sonja Kelly, Director of Research and Advocacy, Women’s World Banking While undoubted progress has been made in some areas of gender equality, examples of everyday gender bias are still so prevalent that they almost go unnoticed. In the corporate world, unequal pay, boardroom bias, even next technologies like AI
By Sonja Kelly, Director of Research and Advocacy, and Mehrdad Mirpourian, Senior Data Analyst Not everything that matters can be measured. The data surrounding financially marginalized groups is sparse. This lack of data limits financial service providers and policymakers’ ability to design for women’s needs. However, many significant issues, like
Artificial intelligence and machine learning are changing financial services offerings to customers across the globe. Historically, women have been the victims of unconscious bias in lending decisions. Algorithm-enabled credit decisions have the potential to create a level playing field for female customers worldwide—but only if we find and mitigate biases
2021 will be a crucial year for women to build their financial resilience and begin recovering from the setbacks created by COVID-19. According to a recent McKinsey report, women globally are twice as likely to experience job loss due to the pandemic, despite making up only 39% of total employment.
Women’s World Banking’s global network of financial service providers (FSPs) champions women’s financial inclusion in their local markets, shares best practices, and leverages expertise in inclusive economies. Never has this community of practice been more important to women’s economic empowerment than now, particularly with the COVID-19 pandemic creating adverse economic
Funding and support from data.org will facilitate data-driven projects for social impact around the world New York, NY (January 19, 2021): Today, data.org announced the eight global awardees of the $10 million Inclusive Growth and Recovery Challenge. Launched in partnership with the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and The Rockefeller Foundation,
By Sonja Kelly, Director of Research and Advocacy, and Mehrdad Mirpourian, Senior Data Analyst Women’s World Banking is starting on a journey to find out if data can predict the future of women’s economic empowerment—and we’d like you to follow along. The task is daunting, even for a team of
By Sonja Kelly, Director of Research and Advocacy, Women’s World Banking One of the most elusive questions in financial inclusion is how to facilitate growth of small businesses—and particularly of women-owned businesses. With this question in mind, in 2016 Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) and Women’s World Banking set out on
By Sonja Kelly, Director of Research and Advocacy, Women’s World Banking Bias happens. It is widely discussed across the world as different industries use machine learning and artificial intelligence to increase efficiency in their processes. I’m sure you’ve seen the headlines. Amazon’s hiring algorithm systematically screened out women candidates. Microsoft’s
Women’s World Banking’s recent Making Finance Work for Women Summit brought together leaders from the public and private sectors, investors, and researchers to discuss, debate and create the solutions to drive women’s financial inclusion globally.
How does Data Collection help financial service providers serve low-income women profitably and sustainably?
Women’s World Banking used data analysis to counter sales agents’ unconscious biases that were keeping women from accessing financial services.
We’re working with Diamond Bank and MTN to leverage big data in improving women’s access to digital financial inclusion. It is not without its challenges.
On Women’s World Banking’s Gender Performance Initiative, its development and how financial institutions can use this data to improve their service to women.
The inaugural 2016 BFGEI recognizes 26 financial services firms with strong commitments to gender equality, including dedicated social disclosure policies and practices.
The Gender Performance Indicators workshop we hosted at the recent Asia Pacific Financial Inclusion Summit was highlighted by our strategic partner, Good Return.
Our work consulting on Bloomberg’s Financial Services Gender-Equality Index was highlighted.
Our President and CEO Mary Ellen Iskenderian weighs in on Bloomberg”s latest look at the glass ceiling facing women around the world. Excerpt: Disparities exist at both ends of the economic scale around the world. In 2012, a Gallup poll for the World Bank showed that only 47 percent of
Senior Associate Jaclyn Berfond and Ujjivan CEO and Women’s World Banking board member Samit Ghosh guest blogged for CGAP on the sometimes surprising benefits of measuring an institution’s gender performance.
Women’s World Banking President and CEO Mary Ellen Iskenderian guest-blogged for CGAP’s ‘Gender and Finance’ blog series.
Quality data—accurate and useful—is critical for the microfinance sector.
As the microfinance industry continues to shift its focus into understanding client’s needs and more effectively targeting specific segments, it is essential for management to understand an institution’s performance based on data.
