Measurement of Financial Inclusion and Payment System
Country
El Salvador
Member institution
Banco Central de Reserva de El Salvador
Timeline
10 October 2021 – 30 November 2022
Thematic area
Gender Inclusive Finance, Inclusive Green Finance, Digital Financial Services
Context
Surveys found that only 18% of women in El Salvador had a savings account, and that there was a growing, 14%, gender gap in overall access to finance.
El Salvador’s agriculture sector, which has a majority female workforce, is highly vulnerable to climate variability and change. There was a need to evaluate how vulnerable people are to climate change, how they deal with money after disasters, and how the market can lessen the effects of climate change on vulnerable groups.
The Central Reserve Bank of El Salvador (BCR) lacked access to information, particularly data on the gender gap in access to finance, that would support the monitoring of financial inclusion activities, and the development of appropriate policies and regulations.
Project Activities
Outcome
The project significantly developed financial regulators and policymakers’ understanding of financial inclusion, notably relating to gender issues and to inclusive green finance.
The project identified gaps and developed tools for effective data management and policy implementation. These achievements pave the way for more targeted and impactful initiatives to promote inclusive financial systems and empower underserved populations.
The project identified gaps and developed tools for effective data management and policy implementation. These achievements pave the way for more targeted and impactful initiatives to promote inclusive financial systems and empower underserved populations.