Advancing women’s financial inclusion in francophone Africa: Cameroon, the DRC and Senegal
Programs and partnerships
Lead institution(s)
Summary
This project will help promote measures to enhance African women’s access to formal financial institutions; 70% of African women do not have access to financial services such as savings and checking accounts, loans, credit, and other institutional services.Read more
This project will help promote measures to enhance African women’s access to formal financial institutions; 70% of African women do not have access to financial services such as savings and checking accounts, loans, credit, and other institutional services. In Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Senegal, less than 10% of women have an account at a formal financial institution. There is little information on the challenges and obstacles African women face to access finance, how these differ from men’s experiences, and how policy and regulation can enhance access.
This project will help to bring more women into the formal financial system by exploring policy options for francophone African countries, especially Cameroon, Senegal, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It will generate evidence for financial institutions, regulators, and policymakers to promote women’s access to financial services. It will examine the current regulatory, legal, and policy environments to identify the changes that are required to foster women’s financial inclusion, and help financial institutions identify tailored approaches for women as a distinct market segment. The project will also promote women’s leadership in the financial sector in francophone Africa.