The Level One Project (L1P) principles offer a blueprint for building inclusive, low-cost digital financial systems. This report examines how these principles affect women in Côte d’Ivoire, where DFS use remains limited—especially among low-income women—and trust in digital systems is low. Because some aspects of the payments system in Côte d’Ivoire are compliant and others are not, the report explores the costs and frictions as well as benefits generated by the non-L1P compliant components and L1P compliant components.
Key findings include:
- Women are more likely to lack ID and rely on informal workarounds to access services.
- Trust in DFS is low; many women prefer physical receipts from agents over digital confirmations.
- Women tend to own lower-end phones and use USSD more than apps.
- Inconsistent agent practices and unclear fees disproportionately affect women’s confidence and usage.
- Most women rely on agents for transactions and express a strong preference for face-to-face interactions.
- DFS education programs are more effective when embedded in social networks and peer groups.
This research highlights the need for tailored implementations of L1P principles that account for the lived realities of low-income women in emerging markets.