WWB Capital Partners II is the second gender-lens investment fund established by Women’s World Banking aiming to close the gender gap by investing in high-performing financial service providers that serve low-income women.

Based at the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development in Bangladesh, the Initiative supports rigorous research projects exploring this theme in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

The financing package consists of $130 million from IFC's own-account and a $270 million syndicated loan from a group of 10 banks.

The awards support innovative COVID-19 response and recovery efforts related to savings groups, in the areas of women’s livelihoods, voice and leadership, violence against women, digital savings groups and more.

The loan aims to help the bank increase lending for climate-friendly projects and to smaller businesses, especially those owned by women.

The announcement came on International Women’s Day, a worldwide celebration of womanhood and femininity and a focal point in the global movement for women’s rights.

The funds will support a gender gap analysis of several West African Monetary Agency strategies including those for financial inclusion; gender disaggregation data analytics; digital payment services and infrastructure; and digital identity.  

Amartha will use the funds from US-based Lendable to encourage women micro entrepreneurs.

These loans are intended to support 9,100 people, 90 percent of whom are women, whose livelihoods have been threatened by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The partnership aims to develop an enhanced digital service offering and support the financial inclusion of marginalized populations, especially women, in developing and emerging countries.