Art Appraisal Blog

India imposed a lock-down in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 and began a gradual re-opening in June. A telephonic survey in April examined the early effectiveness of information and the massive PMGKY social protection program (Policy Paper 217). This paper analyzes a second-round survey, conducted six months later. Logistical and information constraints had relaxed, and incomes and jobs had begun to stabilize for some. There were not...

This annual report summarizes the work produced by the World Bank’s Identification for Development and G2Px initiatives in 2021. It highlights individual country experiences such as in Togo and Lesotho, as well as their insights regarding gender.  

This report seeks to answer the question: Can G2P payments provide an on-ramp to financial inclusion? It does so by focusing on the confluence of three different movements to improve the economic well-being of low-income individuals and households in developing countries: financial inclusion; digital financial services; and government-to-person payments (G2P payments). Its findings suggest that currently there is little indication that G2P payments do result in increased financial inclusion through...

Digital finance has expanded opportunities for millions of women across the globe, yet there remains much work to do to achieve gender equality in financial services. This report discusses policies for achieving equal financial inclusion, including the role of digital G2P.

During the past decade, women’s economic and financial inclusion has become an increasing priority for governments and companies, driven by evidence that its benefits range from increased agricultural output, to greater business resilience, customer retention, and GDP growth. Despite this evidence, the unfortunate truth is that women throughout the world lack access to the basic tools necessary for digital financial inclusion. This report provides 10 steps to help remedy the...

This note published by the World Bank presents four priorities to build stronger safety nets that help address gender inequality. 1) Maintain and extend coverage among vulnerable groups, prioritizing women and taking the specific needs of women into account. 2) Invest in adaptive delivery systems that recognize women and girls’ specific vulnerabilities. 3) Leverage digital technologies to reach and empower women in safety net programs. 4) Invest in cash plus...

This Better Than Cash Alliance report details principles for building responsible digital payment systems. An update to BTCA’s 2016 publication, the report emphasizes the importance of consumer trust driven by reliability, interoperability between services, and conscious efforts to include marginalized communities, particularly women.

How countries can create digital information systems for social protection in a way that is inclusive and right-based, leveraging technology without becoming a further barrier to inclusion?

The most valuable innovation is in G2P delivery systems that empower women to choose how to receive their cash.

COVID-19’s disproportionate impact on women must be urgently addressed through the provision of digital financial literacy and access.