NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Despite growing evidence on the business case to invest in women, persistent gender gaps remain in women’s ability to access, use, and benefit from financial services. Globally, women are 7 percentage points less likely than men to have a bank account, and this gap reaches 9 percentage points in developing economies. Furthermore, women-owned businesses face a staggering $1.7 trillion financing gap, limiting their potential for growth and economic contribution. While investing in microfinance has often been seen as a strategy to reach more women , if impact investors want to go beyond just counting the number of women served they must take a deliberate and intentional approach in their investment process to achieve meaningful gender impacts.

Gender Lens Investing (GLI) is an approach to investing that recognizes these gender-based disparities and directs capital to address them, supporting the social and economic empowerment of women in pursuit of the ethical imperative of gender equity. Investors such as Women’s World Banking Asset Management and BlueOrchard have been leading the way GLI in inclusive finance. Join us for an in-depth discussion on the transformative potential of GLI to learn from their experiences. The webinar will provide a comprehensive understanding of GLI, its significance, and its ability to drive positive change across sectors and segments. Attendees will gain insights into how GLI can enhance risk assessment, identify opportunities, and generate long-term value while promoting gender equity and women’s empowerment.

The discussion will also delve into the implications of GLI for financial inclusion players, examining its expected outcomes, potential challenges, and its role in facilitating access to finance, promoting entrepreneurship, and fostering economic growth. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from industry experts and discover how GLI can transform your investment strategies, drive social impact, and contribute to the advancement of gender equality in inclusive finance. You will also learn about a new initiative from the European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP) on creating a dedicated e-MFP GLI Action Group.

May 15, 2024: 8:00 a.m. EST / 2:00pm CET