MAKING
CONNECTIONS
DELIVERING
RESULTS
The Exchange for Innovative Access
to Finance for Women
Blogs
Gender bonds are increasingly acknowledged as an effective mechanism for unleashing capital to women and empowering them financially.
The latest article coauthored by ADB’s gender finance experts explores how gender bonds can be used to reshape the financial landscape for women. The blog offers an insightful overview of gender bonds, their impact on gender equality and women empowerment, and sheds light on ways to accelerate the market’s growth.
Is Digital Finance the Answer to Giving Women-Owned MSMEs Access to Credit?
Read our latest blog.
News and Events
WFX with support from the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi) published a study that examines the barriers women entrepreneurs face and how financial institutions can help address the current credit gap in Fiji.
Climate risks can have severe impact on a financial institution’s portfolio. The management and monitoring of these risks are complex exercises. On 19 September, WFX held an invite-only webinar for financial institutions on this subject. Recording can now be accessed by members.
At ADB’s 2023 Gender Forum, we held a “Spotlight on Gender-Inclusive Green Finance” session focusing on the intersection between gender responsive finance and #ClimateAction.
Speakers highlighted key insights from innovative projects at the nexus of green and gender:
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Joana Pedro from UNEP-FI provided an overview on the landscape and opportunities represented by gender-inclusive green finance
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Kamrul Tarafder, CEO of ASA Philippines, discussed how ASA provides financing solutions for low-income women entrepreneurs for purposes including water and sanitation, solar home systems, and disaster assistance
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Maya Kobalia of Crystal, the largest microfinance institution in Georgia, highlighted the first certified gender bond issuance in the South Caucasus and in the Georgian Stock Exchange
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ADB’s Biao Huang discussed Bank of Qingdao’s groundbreaking “blue finance” project and Ping An International Financial Leasing’s project aimed at promoting energy efficiency leasing solutions for micro, small and medium enterprises in China
Participants shared global trends and discussed how to catalyze and scale up climate finance with a gender lens in Asia.
In Focus
WHAT WE DO
Innovation and
Technology
We support FIs in the identification and selection of cutting-edge technologies to facilitate gender-responsive and sustainable financing.
Funding Opportunities
We explore funding and co-financing opportunities to support FIs in boosting lending to women and women's businesses.
Sustainable Finance
We encourage sustainable finance in our partner FI's lending and investments.
WHO WE ARE
Women’s Finance Exchange (WFX) is an ADB initiative to support financial institutions (FIs) and their women borrowers through innovative solutions. Women-owned businesses all over the world face significant challenges when seeking financial services. Estimates show that almost 70% of women-owned small and medium enterprises in the formal sector in developing countries are unserved or underserved and have financing gap of 1.7 trillion. WFX aims to reduce the gender gap in financial inclusion in Asia and the Pacific to ensure women have equal opportunities to to access and benefit from financial services.
Need more details?
We are here to assist. Contact us by email at womenfinx@adb.org or through the contact form.
We are open from 8:00AM - 5:00PM Philippine Standard Time (UTC +8).