What is Driving Women's Financial Inclusion Across Countries?

32 Pages Posted: 21 Mar 2018

See all articles by Corinne Deléchat

Corinne Deléchat

International Monetary Fund (IMF)

Monique Newiak

Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU)

Rui Xu

International Monetary Fund (IMF)

Fan Yang

University of Delaware

Goksu Aslan

New York University (NYU) - New York University, Abu Dhabi; United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP); Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca - Department of Economics, Management and Statistics (DEMS); University of Messina

Date Written: March 2018

Abstract

Using a broad set of macroeconomic country characteristics to supplement a new and comprehensive micro-level dataset for 140 countries, we identify structural factors, policies, and individual characteristics that are associated with financial inclusion-in general, and for women in particular. We find that structural country characteristics, such as resource-richness and level of development, and policies, such as stronger institutions, and financial development are significantly related to financial inclusion. We find a robust negative relationship between being female and financial inclusion as in previous studies, and our analysis points to legal discrimination, lack of protection from harassment, including at the work place, and more diffuse gender norms as possible explanatory factors.

Keywords: Financial inclusion, Gender, Personal finance, Legal rights, Government Policy and Regulation, Economics of Gender

JEL Classification: D14, E21, G21, G28, J16

Suggested Citation

Deléchat, Corinne and Newiak, Monique and Xu, Rui and Yang, Fan and Aslan, Goksu, What is Driving Women's Financial Inclusion Across Countries? (March 2018). IMF Working Paper No. 18/38, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3145025

Corinne Deléchat (Contact Author)

International Monetary Fund (IMF) ( email )

700 19th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20431
United States

Monique Newiak

Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU) ( email )

Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1
Munich, DE Bavaria 80539
Germany

Rui Xu

International Monetary Fund (IMF) ( email )

700 19th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20431
United States

HOME PAGE: http://https://sites.google.com/site/ruixuwebsite/

Fan Yang

University of Delaware ( email )

Newark, DE 19711
United States

Goksu Aslan

New York University (NYU) - New York University, Abu Dhabi ( email )

PO Box 129188
Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates

United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) ( email )

76 Rajadamnern Nok Ave
Bangkok, 10200
Thailand

Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca - Department of Economics, Management and Statistics (DEMS) ( email )

Piazza dell'Ateneo Nuovo, 1
Milan, 20126
Italy

University of Messina ( email )

Piazza Pugliatti, 1
Messina, 98122
Italy

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