Gender saving groups: Formalizing village saving groups with a gender lens

Abstract

This concept paper introduces a research collection on gender saving groups/ village savings loan association and financial inclusion that sets out to provide insights and evidence that enable the formal financial sector or practitioners to link with the informal financial sector to better reach women with digital financial services. The research brings together some articles and our innovative thoughts on financial inclusion that discuss specific range of interventions and experiences. It also explores and presents the opportunity for and challenges to meaningful financial inclusion for women non-literate and non-numerate populations. This article interrogate the methods used to reach last mile communities (rural and urban) and highlight the need for holistic, multi-layered programming that supports social norm change and addresses the actual constraints faced by members of these VSLA and communities.