Women’s financial inclusion has expanded globally, yet persistent structural and policy barriers continue to limit women’s full participation in the financial system. The 2026 Policy Handbook for Women’s Financial Inclusion, published by Women’s World Banking, provides practical guidance for designing financial‑sector policies and regulations that intentionally work for women.
The handbook covers:
- Gender‑Responsive Policy Frameworks – Guidance on embedding women’s financial inclusion objectives into national strategies, regulatory mandates, and supervisory practices.
- Inclusive Digital Public Infrastructure – Design considerations for digital ID, payments, data protection, and connectivity systems that enable women’s safe and independent use of financial services.
- Women‑Centered Product & Consumer Protection Design – Policy levers to ensure financial products, disclosure, and redress mechanisms reflect women’s economic realities.
- Gender‑Disaggregated Data & Evidence – Approaches for using data to identify gaps, monitor progress, and inform evidence‑based policy decisions.
- Global Case Examples – Illustrations of how countries have applied gender‑intentional policy reforms across different contexts.
The handbook provides actionable guidance for governments, central banks, regulators, development partners, and financial institutions seeking to strengthen women’s financial inclusion through policy, regulation, and digital financial infrastructure.