Women power local economies across Africa, South & Southeast Asia, and Latin America, yet they remain disproportionately excluded from formal finance. The latest Global Findex shows strong progress since 2011, but the gap is still material and concentrated in emerging markets.
The headline numbers
- 1.4 billion adults are still unbanked worldwide (no formal bank account). Three in four adults now have an account, but the last mile remains hardest.
- Women make up a majority of the unbanked (about 54–55%) and the gender gap in account ownership in developing economies has a 6 percentage point difference (men 74%, women 68%). World Bank.
- The smartphone gap is a major barrier to digital inclusion: women in LMICs are 13% less likely to own a smartphone, and 940 million women still do not own one. GSMA.
Regional picture
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA): Women’s account ownership more than doubled to 49% by 2021, driven by mobile money, but gaps persist and, in some markets, have widened.
South Asia & MENA: Some of the world’s largest gender gaps remain reflecting social norms, ID barriers, and limited asset ownership.
Latin America & the Caribbean: On average, 45% of women in AFI LAC countries held an account as of 2021–22 – second lowest globally after the Arab region – despite rapid fintech adoption.
Beyond access: usage and resilience
Even when women have accounts, usage lags: women are more likely to have inactive accounts, save less often in accounts, and report lower financial resilience (ability to raise emergency funds) than men. Receiving digital payments meaningfully increases women’s subsequent use of accounts, highlighting the importance of making inflows digital.
Why this matters for growth
Closing the gender gaps in accounts, smartphones, and mobile internet unlocks participation in education, commerce, and entrepreneurship. Cost and connectivity remain sticking points: high data costs and safety concerns continue to limit women’s ability to fully leverage the internet for business. The Guardian.
What works and why AIRVANTAGE has the solution
Evidence from SSA shows mobile-first rails (especially mobile money) are the fastest path to inclusion for women, when combined with relevant, low-friction services and responsible credit.
For Mobile Network Operators, banks, insurers, retailers, and mobile wallets in emerging markets, the opportunity is to meet women where they already are: on mobile, with instant connectivity support, responsible micro-credit, and affordable device access delivered through simple, secure customer journeys.