Photo credit: Nicolas Réméné, Communication for Development Ltd.

Dear FinEquity Community,

It’s that time of the year! We kindly ask for your collaboration in completing FinEquity’s Annual Survey. Your input helps us understand the value the community brings to your work, shape our learning agenda, and improve our collaborative spaces. It only takes 5 minutes—and your feedback is incredibly valuable to us.

At the end of May, we were excited to mark a milestone with FinEquityAfrica’s first French-language webinar, co-hosted with Digital Frontiers Institute, highlighting women’s leadership in financial services across Francophone Africa. If you missed it, the recording and materials are now available to revisit and share.

Looking ahead, our Latin America and the Caribbean chapter, FinEquityALC, will host its annual event—FinEquityALC2025—on 18 June (virtual, regional focus) and 19 June (in-person in Tegucigalpa, Honduras). If you’re interested in the region and speak Spanish, be sure to register and join us!

Let’s keep strengthening our collaborative efforts!

Mariana, on behalf of the FinEquity Team

Photo credit: Mahfuzul Hasan Bhuiyan, 2015 CGAP Photo Contest

The Hidden Costs of Forex Funding: Do Women Pay a Higher Price?

CGAP | May 2025

Smaller lenders serve women borrowers best but face high costs, forex risk, and limited scale. In light of this fact, donors and development finance institutions must expand local currency funding and strengthen risk management to close the gender gap in finance.

The Potential of Women Leaders to Drive Change

Empowering women leaders is key to driving inclusive change across Latin America and the Caribbean.

IDB | May 2025

Accelerating Action to Bridge the Financial Inclusion Gap

In Africa’s rapidly evolving digital financial landscape, a persistent gender gap remains a significant barrier to achieving financial inclusion for all.

AfricaNenda | Mar 2025

Scan the QR code to access the survey

FinEquity Survey 2025

Please help us shape the future of FinEquity! Take a minute to think about your experience with FinEquity over the last year. This will take you less than 5 minutes (we promise), but it will provide immense value to our community!

Remember! If you answer this survey all the way until the end, you and your work may be featured in an upcoming Member Spotlight. Visibility guaranteed!

Photo credit: © Annika Hammerschlag 2024

The Gendered Algorithm: Navigating Financial Inclusion & Equity in AI-Facilitated Access to Credit

Cornell University | Apr 2025

This paper draws on interview data with leaders, investors, and data scientists at fintech companies developing ML-based alternative lending apps in low- and middle-income countries to explore financial inclusion and gender implications.

Advancing Women’s Financial Inclusion: Guidelines to Adopt a Gender Perspective in Financial Institutions

This report offers ten guidelines for financial institutions to adopt a strategy that enhances the financial inclusion of women, recognizing them as a profitable yet underserved customer segment.

CGAP, World Bank, International Finance Corporation (IFC) | May 2025

The Mobile Gender Gap Report 2025

This publication shares the latest figures on women’s access to and use of mobile in LMICs, the barriers they face and how this compares to men.

GSMA | May 2025

Measuring Women Entrepreneurs’ Financial Health

This report presents findings from the baseline survey of the four-year Strive Women program which offers two main interventions to help women-led micro and small enterprises thrive.

CARE | Apr 2025

What Works to Advance Women's Digital Literacy?

This report examines women’s digital literacy and financial capability barriers—from connectivity and cost challenges to restrictive social norms—while highlighting effective strategies to overcome them.

World Bank | Apr 2025

WEBINAR RECORDING

During FinEquity Africa’s first French-language webinar, co-hosted with Digital Frontiers Institute, the panelists highlighted women’s leadership in financial services across Francophone Africa. The webinar aimed to foster dialogue, inspire action, and build momentum toward inclusive financial systems by addressing persistent gender gaps in leadership and data.

Photo credit: Arete/Mamadou Diop/World Bank

Photo Credit: Jessica Belmont | Banco Mundial ALC.

FINEQUITYALC ANNUAL CONVENING

FinEquityALC is excited to announce that its Annual Convening, #FinEquityALC2025, will take place online on 18 June and in person on 19 June 2025, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

The event is organized in partnership with UN Women Latin America, Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI), CAF - development bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, FMBBVA, WWB Colombia Foundation and the regulatory financial market authority (CNBS). Review the agenda and register to participate.

Absa Bank Kenya Partners With Women’s World Banking to Accelerate Growth of Women-Led SMEs

The partnership aims to deepen financial inclusion and promote economic empowerment of women entrepreneurs across Kenya.

Women's World Banking

News | 20 May 2025

G20 Conference Champions Financial Inclusion and Women’s Economic Empowerment

Advancing women’s economic empowerment through inclusive financial systems takes center stage as the G20 Financial Inclusion and Women Empowerment Conference 2025 kicks off in South Africa's North West Province.

South African Government News Agency

News | 08 May 2025

Women's Economic (WE) Convention

WE Convention is the world's largest and most influential women’s forum, bringing together global icons, industry leaders, and rising changemakers to shape the future. 

WE Convention

Upcoming Event | 1-2 Nov 2025

Operations Officer - Gender & Inclusion, South Asia

International Finance Corporation (IFC) | Multiple locations

Job Application Deadline | 10 Jun 2025

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