UN engages women in Uganda to bridge digital financial gap

Women’s financial inclusion is viewed as an important pillar to significantly increase global growth, reduce poverty and inequality.

By enabling women to invest and borrow, they will be better placed to participate in the economy.

It is against this backdrop that the United Nations’ capital investment agency, UNCDF and other partners are holding a forum on digital financial services for women in Uganda.

“This is key theme running through these three days and is helping our colleagues that are providers in the room to understand how you access this untapped potential in some markets it is really untapped,” Maria Kiwanuka, Uganda’s senior presidential advisor on finance.

Despite the strides made to improve financial inclusion, a significant gender gap exists in terms of the quality of access to a bank or mobile money account.

“What basic services do the women basically need? They need a safe haven for their savings. If she just has 1 or 2 shillings, she would like somewhere safe to keep it and even more important anonymously,” Nandini Harihareswara, Senior Digital Finance Advisor, UNDP.