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Designing for Women: How COVID-19 Could Allow Government Payment Programs to Boost Women’s Economic Empowerment
Governments around the world are deploying government-to-person programs to address the economic crisis caused by COVID-19. But as Amanda Schwartz at IDEO.org points out, unless these programs are designed around women’s unique needs, they could exacerbate gender inequality and financial exclusion. She explores how a gender inclusive approach could "make the single biggest push for women’s economic empowerment that the world has ever seen."
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
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Extending Insurance in Times of Crisis: How an Innovative Partnership is Serving Low-Income Micro-Business Owners in Indonesia
During a crisis like COVID-19, insurance can offer businesses in developed countries some degree of resilience. However, entrepreneurs in emerging markets often lack the access or awareness to take advantage of this protection. Carlie Joselowitz at N-Frnds discusses the challenges of delivering insurance to these small businesses – and an innovative partnership that aims to solve them.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance, Investing
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How Managing Wealth Differently Can Contribute to a More Equitable Recovery
With the COVID-19 pandemic’s racially disparate death rates to uprisings sparked by ongoing deadly police brutality, all disproportionately affecting black communities, there may be no better time to rethink how that wealth gets managed and how it might be managed differently in order to contribute to a different social outcome.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Impact Assessment, Investing
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Viewpoint: Central Banks Must Connect Climate Change and Financial Inclusion
Johanna Nyman is head of Inclusive Green Finance at the Alliance for Financial Inclusion. Eric Zusman is research leader at the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies and researcher at the National Institute for Environmental Studies.
- Categories
- Environment, Finance
- Region
- Asia Pacific
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Agency Banking and Off-Grid Energy: Banking the Unbanked Through Solar
In rural Africa, off-grid renewable energy products are gaining momentum - but their upfront cost can make them inaccessible to low-income customers. Commercial banks have struggled to penetrate these markets, but Thelma Obiakor at the Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa explains that this is now changing. Thanks to agency banking, financial services and solar companies are providing a bridge to both energy access and greater financial inclusion.
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Press Release: Sparkle Officially Launches: A New Digital Ecosystem to Transform the Lives of Nigerians Across the Globe
Sparkle, which has been granted a banking license from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has been built to help Nigerians fulfil their potential. Sparkle offers comprehensive support for individuals, including flexible payments, savings and analytics to provide greater freedom, flexibility and control over finances and lifestyle once and for all.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Four Lessons Utility Providers Can Learn from the Financial Inclusion Sector
Over 1 billion people lack reliable access to essential services like sanitation, potable water and electricity - and reaching them remains a stubborn challenge. But as Jacob Winiecki and Malika Anand at BFA point out, the financial inclusion industry has learned a lot about how to serve low-income customers in remote communities. They share four key lessons in this thought-provoking article.
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Weathering a Perfect Storm – Part 2: Seven Ways Fintechs Can Survive the COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges to the financial services industry – particularly in emerging markets. In the second article of this two-part series, analysts at MSC explore seven key measures fintechs are taking to stay relevant, augment their recovery and build their resilience during the crisis.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance, Technology
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