Economic growth

Is the Magic Happening? A Systematic Literature Review of the Economic Multiplier of Cash Transfers

Cash transfer programs can have significant impacts on economic growth, poverty reduction, and social protection.

Sustaining digital payments growth: Winning models in emerging markets

An article by McKinsey that explores which digital payments models are best placed to gain momentum in emerging markets and what innovations may lie on the horizon.

What works in supporting women entrepreneurs in developing countries?

The Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi) explores improvements in women entrepreneur’s financial and economic opportunities in developing countries.

Within Reach: How Digital Wages That Work for Women Can Support Bangladesh’s Economic Future

HERproject’s research charts progress towards wage digitization in Bangladesh; three plausible alternative futures to what wage digitization may look like ten years from now; and recommendations to strengthen digital payment systems that empower workers.

The platform economy: Southeast Asia’s digital growth catalyst

This inaugural study from the Tech for Good Institute presents data-based insights and public-private perspectives on how to support the platform economy’s growth in Southeast Asia while mitigating its risks.

UNCDF: Inclusive Digital Economies and Gender Equality Playbook

A practical guide to leveraging a market system development approach to decrease the digital and financial gender divide.

USAID: The Gender Digital Divide Working toward a global digital ecosystem for all

Analyzing the Gender Digital Divide with country examples/data from India, Senegal & Indonesia

The next frontier in Asia payments

Despite the near-term disruption to revenue growth related to the COVID-19 pandemic, Asia’s payments sector remains positioned for long-term success and is poised for a swift return to healthy growth.

Informal Sector and Mobile Financial Services in Developing Countries: Does Financial Innovation Matter?

This paper investigates the impact of mobile financial services - MFS (mobile money, and mobile credit and savings) on the informal sector using data from 101 emerging and developing countries over the period 2000-15.

Inclusive Growth: The Global Challenges of Social Inequality and Financial Inclusion

The book outlines a journey from enabling models of government and business to strategies for creating both financial and social inclusion and entrepreneurism as mechanisms for sustainable and inclusive growth.

The state of social assistance in Africa

The UNDP report analyzes the recent growth across three foundational dimensions of social assistance in the continent - legal frameworks, institutions and financing.

Leveraging Digital Financial Solutions to Promote Formal Business Participation

This paper explores economic informality and how it relates to digital financial inclusion. It focuses specifically on the potential role that digital financial services–including those accessed through mobile phones and the internet can play in encouraging businesses to formalize their operations.

Voices to Choices : Bangladesh's Journey in Women's Economic Empowerment

This book analyzes advances in women’s economic engagement and empowerment in rural and urban Bangladesh.

Mobile-delivered economic ID for inclusion of SMEs

Unregistered SMEs account for 65% of Nigeria’s GDP. Most of them often struggle to demonstrate their personal and business credentials to service providers and customers. This GSMA research finds that there is a need for new approaches to identity and mobile-delivered ‘economic ID’ solution holds promise.

The age of digital interdependence

The UN Secretary General’s High-Level Panel on Digital Cooperation released this report. It highlights the need for inclusivity and protection of human rights to ensure a safe digital future for all and shares 5 key recommendations.  

Imparting financial literacy through tablets

Digital identification: A key to inclusive growth

In this report, McKinsey Global Institute discusses the opportunities and challenges in setting up a good digital ID system. It also features case studies on Nigeria, Ethiopia and India. …

Integrating Gender and Women's Financial Inclusion into the Central Bank of Egypt's (CBE) Framework

Central Bank of Egypt is promoting women’s financial inclusion through a set of different measures such as enabling the legal and regulatory framework conditions, modernizing the financial i…

Testing the Waters: Digital Payments for Water and Sanitation

Water providers are shifting to digital payments to reduce expenses and streamline delivery. In this report, CGAP and GSMA share lessons learned from 25 organizations, including the challeng…

Mexico Proves Bill & Melinda Right on Gender Data

Over 7.3 million women gained access to financial products from 2012 to 2018 due to policies informed by sex-disaggregated data. Read the CG Dev blog on why robust gender data is crucial for…