Download the checklist here or scroll down to the end of the blog.
Around the world, financial systems are evolving, but too often, policies are still gender-neutral instead of gender-intentional. This checklist gives regulators a clear framework to assess existing policies, identify gaps and take action to ensure women have equitable access to, and benefit from, financial services. It distills global best practice, real-world examples and Women’s World Banking’s experience reaching 117 million women and 76 million men with inclusive financial solutions.
What’s Inside
The checklist translates global evidence into seven Gender Policy Principles, each paired with concrete policy levers and diagnostic questions that help regulators benchmark readiness and progress:
- Governance and Foundational Frameworks: Embedding women’s financial inclusion into national strategies, mandates and accountability structures.
- Inclusive Digital Public Infrastructure: Building safe, affordable digital ID, payments and connectivity systems that work for women.
- Women-Centered Design: Requiring products and delivery channels that reflect women’s realities—from ID requirements to agent networks.
- Consumer Protection & Digital Capability: Ensuring protections, redress systems and digital literacy reach and reflect women users.
- Financing Women-Led MSMEs: Removing credit barriers and strengthening access through guarantees, alternative scoring and capacity-building.
- Women in Leadership & Workforce: Advancing women across institutions—from senior roles to agent networks—and holding institutions accountable.
- Gender-Disaggregated Data: Institutionalizing collection, reporting and analysis to inform action and track progress over time.
Why This Matters
- Gender-neutral policies often benefit men more than women; gender-intentional policies expand equity and economic participation.
- Inclusive design strengthens innovation as digital services grow.
- Evidence shows economies grow stronger when women participate fully in financial systems.
Who Should Use It
- Central banks
- Financial regulators
- Ministries of Finance and ICT
- Policymakers shaping national inclusion strategies
- Development partners supporting ecosystem reform
How the Checklist Works
The Gender-Smart Policy Checklist provides a clear, actionable roadmap to building gender-responsive financial policy. It translates high-level commitments into practical levers that strengthen systems and highlights global precedents regulators can learn from and adapt. Ultimately, this tool supports countries in unlocking women’s economic participation, strengthening resilience and advancing inclusive growth nationwide.
