UNCDF. Access to Financial Service for Rural Women: Best Practices, Challenges and Prospects

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1 UNCDF Access to Financial Service for Rural Women: Best Practices, Challenges and Prospects May 2015

2 Why target rural Women Empowerment of rural women is key to propoor development and economic growth.

3 Rural Women Poverty Reduction There are more women in rural areas Women are more likely to invest additional revenue in health, nutrition and education

4 Rural Women Economic Growth Economic contribution is regularly undervalued Number of women entrepreneurs is growing faster than the rate of men Gender equality is an essential component of economic growth

5 How to support rural Women Access to finance and financial services, which contribute to the development of markets and the strengthening of local economies

6 Best Practices: Ensuring the Key Elements Are Working for Clients VALUE convenience, planning and raising standard of living USAGE active engagement with multiple services ACCOUNTS basis for a relationship and new services ACCESS points of service within reach Source: CGAP 6

7 Best Practice: Seeking to Ensure Value Across the Range of Low Income People s Needs Livelihoods: Build income earning activities Meet social obligations: Marriage Funerals Education: Pay school fees Prepare for secondary school Daily Life: Improve housing Protection: Misfortune of breadwinners Source: CGAP 7

8 Best Practice: Using Qualitative Research to Understand Client Needs Poor clients already manage a wide range of financial instruments Interest free loan from neighbor Microfinance loan Shopkeeper credit Savings held for neighbors Rent arrears Microfinance savings account Life insurance Remittance to home village Cash in hand Home savings Wage advance Source: Portfolios of the Poor Photo Credit: AKDN / Jean-Luc Ray Savings Groups Loans to others Saving with a moneyguard

9 Best Practice: Access to Savings Strong evidence that savings works better for women o increases the productivity of rural women; o increases profits; o leads to greater investment in their businesses; o less prone to sell assets to address health emergencies; o improved consumption smoothing in the face of economic shock, o greater legal and psychological control over funds. Source: Women s Economic Empowerment, What Works World Bank Working Paper.

10 Best Practice: Using Data to Analyze the Challenge of Financial Exclusion The Extent The Dimensions 10 Tanzania s FinScope Data (2013) presents an example of both the challenge of financial exclusion as well as the opportunity for Savings Groups to formalize informal mechanisms.

11 Rural Women Challenges Volume & Usage Active vs Dormant Voluntary vs Mandatory Avg Balance Depth & Outreach Unbanked Savings & Loans Groups Scale & Innovation Alternative Delivery Channels Transaction/Usage Rate Client Characteristics

12 Rural Women Solutions Savings Groups autonomous Instant access Community-based Digital Finance Agent banking Mobile-money Technology Financial education Instant access Simple software

13 UNCDF MicroLead Project Focus WWB & NBS Bank, Malawi Downscaling initiative via agency banking New branchless savings product for low-income market Use of mobile phones and agents *Photos taken by WWB & NBS Bank

14 UNCDF/FIPA programs have strong potential to advance WEE Current work focused on addressing access issues Product and services design for female adolescent and youth Creating enabling regulatory environment for youth s access to finance Financial and technical support to Financial and technical support to FSPs in FSPs in scaling up branchless and scaling up branchless and mobile financial mobile financial services for poor services for poor women women Market and client research to develop digital financial products and services Capacity Resources Connection Perceptions Global and national advocacy on the use of e-payments to advance women s access to finance Grants and loans for FSPs, focusing on rural female population and deposit services Market research, product development, channel development, product marketing and financial education tailored for rural women Access issues Agency issues Financial and technical support for MFIs to provide clean energy for women Enabling policy and business environment to expand access to clean energy

15 Women and Markets: Opportunities Environment Labour markets Markets Goods and services markets Financial markets as important drivers of innovations in the real economy Efficient financial markets should allocate capital towards up-and-coming sectors/businesses Financial markets Access issues Capacity Resources Connections Culture/norms Agency issues Women play critical roles as producers, employees, and are the primary savers and spenders in the society Boosting women s economic participation brings benefit from greater collective power in growing economies Women as brand apostles Finance can help play a role in expanding markets access (entry and expansion) for women and enhance women s agency (ability, control, freedom) to penetrate the markets

16 THANK YOU!