Paper

A Buck Short: What Financial Diaries Tell Us About Building Financial Services That Matter to Low-Income Women

Why do women in emerging markets access and use formal financial services less than men?

The barriers to women’s financial inclusion are inherently complex and multifaceted, ranging from deep-seated social norms to regulatory hurdles and supply-side challenges. This report draws on Financial Diaries data from India, Kenya, and Mexico to enhance the field’s understanding of women’s financial lives, and to highlight provider-led opportunities to better serve this important market segment. It builds on a growing body of work aimed at tackling the persistent gender gap between men’s and women’s access and usage of financial products. Throughout, it highlights demand-side insights with compelling product design implications, recognizing that this is just one element of the comprehensive solution set needed to fully address the gender divide.

This work leverages a unique Financial Diaries data set developed by Bankable Frontier Associates (BFA) between 2012- 2015. Although Financial Diaries have relatively small sample sizes, this methodology collects rich stories and detailed cash flows over time, offering a nuanced view of household finance and behavioral insights that surveys often miss.

About this Publication

By Sanford, C., Zollmann, J.
Published
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