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News

Bank Nizwa Targets Financial Inclusion With WPS Savings Account for Salaried Employees

Through the launch of the WPS Savings Account, Bank Nizwa reaffirms its commitment to providing responsible Islamic financial solutions that promote workforce stability, regulatory compliance, and inclusive economic growth across the Sultanate.

Paper

Measuring Women’s Economic Empowerment: Implications for Program Design and Evaluation

Drawing on primary data and rigorous statistical validation, the research examines how different empowerment indicators perform in capturing women’s financial behaviors, decisionmaking, and outcomes.

Paper

A Proportionate Regulatory Framework for Savings Groups

Drawing on country experiences from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and India, the study examines the growing interest in regulating savings groups to enhance trust, protect members’ savings, improve governance, enable linkages with formal financial institutions, and strengthen data collection.

FinEquity Blog

Financing Her Health: How Maternity Wallets and Medical Loans Can Transform Maternal Care

Affordable health finance products boost resilience for urban slum dwellers in India.

FinEquity Blog

Building Women’s Financial Resilience Through a Digital Savings-Led Banking Model

A pilot program in India helped low-income women entrepreneurs grow their savings and integrate into the formal financial system.

FinDev Blog

Six Steps to Unlock Formal Credit Through VSLAs

Women-centered design and a strong coalition of partners are expanding business growth opportunities for VSLA members through a data-driven approach to credit assessment.

Paper

Understanding the Impacts of Savings Groups on Women’s Economic Activity: Synthesis of Recent Literature

This evidence review synthesizes rigorous evidence on the impacts of savings groups on women's financial inclusion and economic activity in developing economies.

FinDev Blog

How Savings Groups Can Address Gender Inequality Through Dialogue

Unequal power dynamics and discriminatory social norms can stand in the way of women gaining full control of their financial resources. Engaging in four types of dialogue – from household to systems – can help shift these norms.

Paper

Informal Financial Savings Practices to Facilitate Formal Financial Inclusion

This study explores the role of informal savings mechanisms, such as the group-based savings system called Ajo or Esusu in the south-west of Nigeria, in promoting financial inclusion in Nigeria, and particularly among women.

Case Study

From Grassroots to Governance: Case Studies of Enabling Regulatory Environments for Savings Groups

This report shares case studies from six countries that detail how advocacy, partnerships, and tailored regulatory frameworks have fostered supportive legal environments for Savings Groups (SGs), promoting their growth, sustainability, and integration into formal financial systems while preserving their essential informality.