The recent webinar hosted by UNCDF and the Digital Frontiers Institute, titled “Scaling Impact Through Women in DFS: Policy, Regulation and Innovation in Action,” highlighted the pivotal role of women in shaping inclusive digital financial services (DFS). As digital finance evolves, barriers persist for women, youth, and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), particularly in emerging economies. UNCDF’s Digital Finance for Resilience (DFS4Res) programme addresses these gaps by building capacity among professionals to drive more inclusive, resilient, and gender-responsive financial ecosystems.
The webinar celebrated gender-intentional regulatory design and showcased the impact of DFS4Res, which, with funding from the European Union and OACPS, has trained over 250 professionals across countries including Niger, Gabon, Ethiopia, Malawi, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. Participants completed courses in areas such as AML/CFT, blockchain, regulation, and consumer protection, equipping them to influence policy, regulation, and innovation in their local financial sectors. Women alumni shared their experiences in translating training into tangible change, providing insights into five key lessons for advancing gender-inclusive digital finance.
The first lesson emphasized that capacity building must be gender-intentional and locally relevant. Training programs tailored to local realities and specific underserved groups help create sustainable impact. For instance, in Trinidad and Tobago, targeted financial literacy workshops and assisted banking services addressed gaps for women-led MSMEs and youth. Similarly, in Ethiopia, trained professionals contributed to the National Digital Inclusion Strategy, ensuring that policies are both implementable and contextually relevant.
The second lesson highlighted the transformative power of having women in leadership roles. Women leaders influence decision-making and policy outcomes, making regulatory frameworks more inclusive. In Nigeria, female leaders helped shape gender-focused financial inclusion strategies, while mentorship and visible role models encouraged more women to pursue leadership positions in innovation hubs and policy spaces, amplifying representation and participation.
Lesson three stressed the importance of gender-disaggregated data for inclusive policy-making. Data collection allows governments and institutions to understand the specific needs of women and marginalized groups, ensuring that financial services are equitable. In Ethiopia, new regulations now require institutions to collect gender-disaggregated data, while in Nigeria, the We-Fi Code promotes actionable, data-driven policies for women in leadership and financial inclusion.
The fourth lesson focused on trust and understanding as prerequisites for adoption of digital financial services. Without awareness and confidence, access alone is insufficient. Initiatives in Trinidad and Tobago and Ethiopia emphasized digital literacy campaigns, assisted onboarding, and community engagement to bridge trust gaps and ensure underserved communities can meaningfully access financial services.
The final lesson highlighted the role of visibility and mentorship in fostering leadership. Role models, both within families and professional networks, inspire confidence and ambition. Panellists shared how seeing women succeed in DFS and leadership roles motivated others to follow suit. Mentorship, sponsorship, and peer networks further reinforce the growth of women leaders, ensuring their contributions shape inclusive financial ecosystems.
Looking ahead, panellists and UNCDF underscored the need for continued investment in gender-intentional capacity building, collaborative public-private partnerships, inclusive product design, and mentorship programs. By integrating data-driven policies, digital literacy, and role modeling, DFS4Res and related initiatives are not only building careers but transforming entire digital financial ecosystems to be more inclusive, resilient, and led by women.
