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Financial Inclusion in the Wake of COVID-19
Lack of access to financial tools—like credit and savings accounts—inhibit socio-economic mobility for individuals living in poverty across the globe. For approximately the past 40 years, there has been a movement toward financial inclusion for emerging markets such as those found in sub-Saharan Africa, but the progress made thus far is now facing a grim outlook due to the global coronavirus pandemic. In this post, we will explore imminent threats posed to financial inclusion that are anticipated to trickle down as the effects of COVID-19 continue to be felt around the globe.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
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Identification Management: The Key to Digital and Financial Inclusion in Nigeria
In a report titled 'State of Play: Fintech in Nigeria' by The Economist Intelligence Unit, sponsored by MTN Nigeria and Mastercard, examined key trends in the fintech sector in Nigeria and assessed both industry drivers and impediments to growth in the sector.
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Not Just Another Startup Accelerator in India: How the Financial Inclusion Lab is Shining a Light on Underserved Customers
India today has an accelerator for almost every domain, ranging from fintechs to healthcare. But as analysts at MSC point out, many of these accelerators face a common shortcoming: a lack of inclusivity. They discuss how the Financial Inclusion Lab accelerator avoids that issue, and how it boosts startups to strengthen the financial inclusion movement in India.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
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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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