Rural Women as Remittance Receivers: Prevalence, Access, Use and Opportunities for Empowerment

Remittances are one of the largest and most resilient sources of external finance for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In 2024 alone, they reached $685 billion – surpassing foreign direct investment in many countries and amounting to roughly three times official development assistance. As person-to-person transfers sent directly to households, remittances provide families with immediate control over how funds are used. For millions of rural households, remittances support basic needs, food security, education and health, and in some cases also contribute to climate adaptation and local economic development. 

Yet despite their scale, the gendered dimensions of remittance receipt – who receives, who controls and who ultimately benefits – have remained insufficiently visible in global datasets and policy frameworks. This report examines women as remittance recipients, the structural factors shaping their financial agency and the conditions under which remittances can contribute to inclusive rural transformation. It draws on the 2025 Global Findex – the first edition to provide gender-disaggregated data on both international and domestic remittances – as well as experiences from IFAD-supported initiatives in Nepal and The Gambia.