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Alternative Pathways for Young Women’s Dreams: How FI Policy Can Help

Many young women are out of school, married, or raising children, yet policies often overlook their economic realities. Policymakers can empower them by making policy that helps them plan for their futures while working with their lived realities.

What Is “Appropriate” Financial Inclusion for Young Women?

Young women in low-income countries face major life changes in early adulthood. Tailored financial inclusion—through segmented products, accessible delivery, financial literacy, and partnerships—supports their transitions.

Everyone Loves Drama: Changing Financial Norms With Edutainment

Edutainment does more than entertain. It shapes our understanding of the world and sparks change – and even the use of financial services. Compelling characters in engaging stories can increase account ownership, savings, and financial planning.

Tackling Gender Norms in Mozambique's Financial Services

Despite progress, women in Mozambique remain less financially included than men. A GIZ, CGAP, and AMB study reveals deep-rooted gender norms as key barriers, sparking targeted efforts to reshape financial systems for women.

Customer Focus Brings Green Technology to Rural Women in India

Customer-centricity means understanding people's financial needs and realities. Sistema.bio in India uses this approach to offer affordable biodigesters to rural women, leveraging carbon credits.

Journey to Kigali: Four Lessons on Peer Learning for Gender Data

When it comes to strategies on gender-disaggregated data for women's financial inclusion, peer learning, diversity of approaches to gender data collection and use, and creative solutions in advancing gender equality in the financial sector are key.

Transforming Côte d'Ivoire's Cashew Sector with Phygital Empowerment

In Côte d’Ivoire, Wi-Agri empowers women farmers with digital tools and on-the-ground support. By understanding the challenges rural Ivorian women face, Wi-Agri is able to design for them rather than around them.

Seven Insights From Samunnati on Income Diversification

In collaboration with CGAP and IDH under ABERA, Samunnati drives business innovation and gender and climate goals. Together, they've identified seven insights on income diversification for women in India, detailed in this blog.

Which Kind of Microfinance Institutions Can Serve Women Best?

CGAP and MFR analysis of 300+ MFIs explores the trends, challenges, and successes in closing the gender credit gap for smaller borrowers and identifies optimal designs for supporting more women clients, more equitably, and in more parts of the world.

Driving Change: Hello Tractor and ABERA

CGAP, IDH, FSD Network & FSD Kenya are working with Hello Tractor as part of ABERA, which empowers rural women in agriculture. We aim to address gender and climate challenges while strengthening Hello Tractor's business and financial service links.

Regulating Finance for Gender Equality: A New Approach

Financial regulators and market facilitators across the African continent have the opportunity to redefine financial sector policymaking, ensuring that gender inclusivity is at the heart of its economic agenda, beginning with these recommendations.

Financially Including Young Women: Gains for a Generation

The final blog in our series with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation spotlights what CGAP and BMGF have learned about the dynamics of young women’s financial exclusion, and new initiatives to tackle the gender gap at its source in young adulthood.

Good News for Young Women’s Financial Inclusion in East Africa

Young women in East Africa are demanding and using financial services earlier and faster than a decade ago, according to Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation analysis of Findex 2021 and 2011 data. The second blog in our series unpacks these findings.

Supply-Side Gender Data is a Game Changer for Financial Inclusion

Gender-disaggregated data is the cornerstone for designing strategies and interventions that not only help increase women’s use of financial services to be more resilient and prosperous but also empower them to be stronger market players.

Decoding Financial Inclusion Gaps Between Young Men and Women

A recent CGAP study revealed a gender gap in financial service adoption among youth in low-income countries. Here, we analyze Findex 2021 data to better understand the factors driving these disparities.

What Does Financial Inclusion Mean for Young Women’s Well-being?

Well-implemented financial inclusion (FI) initiatives for various sub-segments of young women can produce positive financial and non-financial outcomes. Current research shows plural programs with FI components can benefit marginalized young women.

Four Ways to Integrate Gender in Financial Inclusion Investments

How can impact investors integrate gender throughout the investment cycle to improve women’s financial inclusion and contribute to WEE and gender equality? We highlight four emerging practices investors can use.

Out of the Norm: myAgro Breaks Down Barriers to Serving Rural Women

Gender norms often prevent rural women in Senegal from accessing financial and agricultural services. Pilot projects by CGAP and myAgro are providing insights into how companies can better serve rural women by addressing these norms.

On Gig Platforms, Women Workers Face Triple Barriers to Inclusion

The type of work that women do on gig platforms makes it harder to connect them to financial services that will translate their income into longer-term gains. We studied six platforms to understand why fintech innovation does not reach women workers.

Climate Resilience Through Financial Services: Farzana’s Story

Women, especially those in low-income countries, are faced with higher risk, greater vulnerability, and fewer tools to cope with the impacts of climate change. Financial services can empower women to manage climate risks and build resilience.