Searching: Research & Analysis

Young Women and Financial Services: Maximizing Impact

Research has shown that marginalized young women can benefit from financial services in both economic and non-economic ways. But with over half a billion women aged 15-24 in the world, the life stages, needs, and contexts of this population are tremendously diverse. Among which segments of young women could investments in improved financial services make the most impact? This infographic highlights findings from a recent CGAP segmentation exercise.

Micro and Small Enterprise Finance: Examining the Impact Narrative

Micro and small enterprises are a vital part of the livelihoods and resilience strategies of poor households across emerging markets. This deck reviews existing impact literature and identifies key knowledge gaps.

A Research and Learning Agenda for the Impact of Financial Inclusion

The financial inclusion community is renewing its efforts to understand the role financial services play in the lives of poor people and how financial services can improve their well-being. This paper proposes a learning agenda based on extensive consultation with donors, researchers, and practitioners who support financial inclusion.

Toward a New Impact Narrative for Financial Inclusion

The global development community has debated the question of how financial services impact the lives of poor people for decades. Recently, CGAP has developed a theory of change to guide the financial inclusion community toward an updated narrative that shows the many ways financial services can impact the lives of poor people.

Emerging Evidence on Financial Inclusion

Recent research on the impact of financial services on the lives of low-income people tend to focus on microcredit or a single financial product. Recognizing the need for a more nuanced and clearer impact narrative, this Focus Note synthesizes evidence since 2014.

Financial Inclusion and Development: Recent Impact Evidence

This paper proposes that the accumulating body of evidence supports policy makers’ assessments that developing inclusive financial systems is an important component for economic and social progress on the development agenda.