Unlocking the Potential-Women and Mobile Financial Services in Emerging Markets

Unlocking the Potential

May 2013 Newsletter

Why Women Remain an Untapped Potential in Mobile Money

It’s hard to imagine a more explosive, transformative, and empowering trend than the growth of the mobile phone sector in Africa. In 1998 there were fewer than 4 million phones on the continent; today there are around 800 million—a whopping 80 percent penetration. Compare this to the meager 24 percent of African adults with bank accounts. Experts expect there will be around 1.1 billion mobile phone subscribers by 2017.

Women’s World Banking Joins the Better Than Cash Alliance

One Million Low-Income People to Reap Benefits of Digital Money

Is Cash the Enemy of Financial Inclusion?

The Better Than Cash Alliance, hosted by UNCDF, gathered with colleagues at the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) Council of Governors Annual Meeting last month in Urubamba, Peru. The event brought together over 30 international organizations dedicated to expanding global financial inclusion.

August 2014 Newsletter

In Learning Exchange with Kenya, Nigerian and Malawian Banks Focus on Reaching Women With Cashless Solutions

Guest post by Allegra Palmer, Women’s World Banking

Paving the Way for Responsible Digital Finance

By Beth Porter, Policy Advisor, Financial Inclusion, UNCDF, Advisor, Better Than Cash Alliance

February 2015 Newsletter

Women’s World Banking offers lessons for creating a successful agency banking network

As we approach International Women’s Day on March 8th, Women’s World Banking reflects on a learning exchange with three African banks committed to serving low-income women.

Digital payments can empower women

Re-posted from the “Beyond the Transaction” Mastercard blog

The Opportunities of Digitizing Payments

The Opportunities of Digitizing Payments

Making Digital Bangladesh Vision 2021 a reality, Government joins the Better Than Cash Alliance

Bangladesh commits to further national financial inclusion by accelerating the transition to digital payments

The Better Than Cash Journey: Mercy Corps & Women’s World Banking

This is the first in a series of articles on the achievements of several Better Than Cash Alliance members

Closing the gender gap in mobile phone access and use

Guest post by Shireen Santosham, GSMA Connected Women

August 2015 Newsletter

Africa agriculture status report 2015: Youth and agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa

Illustrated throughout with tables, boxed examples and graphs, this publication highlights progress encouraging the role of young people in Africa’s socio-economic growth through agriculture.

Bank on Her: The Smart Solution for Financial Inclusion

Including more women in the informal sector specifically leads to countless benefits besides increased economic growth. Studies show that when a woman controls her own finances, she invests in the health, nutrition, and education of her family—investments that drive inter-generational improvements and have an exponential effect on the prosperity of communities.

Barriers to transforming government in Jamaica: challenges to implementing initiatives to enhance the efficiency, effectiveness and service delivery of government through ICTs (e-Government)

Organizational issues such as top management support, resistance to change to electronic ways, lack of collaboration, lack of qualified personnel and training courses were not identified as barriers to e-Government in Jamaica.

Three ways financial providers can improve digital financial services for women

by Emilia Klimiuk and Lisa Kienzle of Grameen Foundation