IslamicFinance.de

Bangladesh has long been a success story for women’s financial inclusion. But in terms of digital finance, the story is very different. Despite being identified as a “mobile money sprinter” by the GSMA, only 18% of digital finance users in Bangladesh are women, with even fewer holding registered accounts. This is perplexing, given the rapid growth of digital financial services now reaching more than 21 million registered account holders. There are a number of potential reasons, including the fact that women are less likely to have an official identification. Besides, English-language phone menus may have a disproportionate impact on women. Nevertheless, there are resources and market players available to bridge this gender gap.