WE Finance Code

Central Bank of Nigeria Deputy Governor Emem Usoro spotlighted their commitment to the #WEFinanceCode at the inaugural Citi "Women in Emerging Markets Central Banking Day" last week in London. Emphasizing the role of financial access in driving economic growth, she highlighted the Bank's commitment to data-driven policies that expand credit access, enhance financial literacy, and support fintech-driven solutions, urging collaboration among stakeholders to bridge the finance gap for #womenentrepreneurs. “As a financial regulator, the Central Bank of #Nigeria remains committed to ensuring that women are not just participants but key decision-makers in the financial space. Through initiatives such as financial inclusion programs, leadership mentorship, and gender-responsive banking policies, we are determined to create an enabling environment for women to thrive,” Usoro stated. ➡️ Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eCZKKQku

⚠️ Global signatory Women's World Banking needs your help! ⚠️ Please take 20 minutes to complete their short survey on barriers to women's access to finance - we can't close the #financegap for #womenentrepreneurs without fixing the #datagap first! 🔗Click here to participate: https://lnkd.in/dGhVGEMv

🎊 #Tanzania Joins the #WEFinanceCode 🎊 Last week, Emmanuel Tutuba, Governor the Bank of Tanzania, launched the WE Finance Code with support from the African Development Bank Group and IFC - International Finance Corporation. Building upon their National Financial Inclusion Framework 2023-2028, Tanzania aims to completely close the gap for #womenentrepreneurs to access formal financial services by 2028. AfDB and IFC will partner with the Bank of Tanzania to implement the Code by developing a common definition for women-led businesses and providing capacity building to commercial banks through the Tanzania Bankers Association(TBA) on portfolio baselining, reporting, and more. 🔗Read about the launch here: https://lnkd.in/eNeBWS_Z

Signatories of the #WEFinanceCode joined #Fiji's Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection, the Honourable Sashi Kiran, to ring the bell at the South Pacific Stock Exchange (SPX) for #InternationalWomensDay. Since Fiji's national launch - supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) - 11 institutions have committed to the Code, including the Reserve Bank of Fiji; Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection; Ministry of Trade, Co-operatives and Small and Medium Enterprises; Merchant Finance Pte Limited; Westpac Fiji; SPBD Microfinance Network; Kontiki Finance Ltd; HFC Bank - Fiji; Fiji Development Bank and the SUGAR CANE GROWERS FUND. 🔗See the full press release here: https://lnkd.in/gig8MqWD

More for solutions and innovations for Women Entrepreneurs 🚀 I am delighted to share with you my experience as a moderator of the panel "Empowering Women Entrepreneurs: Financing the Future of Inclusive Growth" held on March 7th as part of International Women's Rights Week. This event was part of the second edition of "Femininely Digital" organized by DigiFemmes Côte d'Ivoire. I had the honor of leading this engaging discussion with exceptional panelists: Nadine Zoro (DigiFemmes Côte d'Ivoire), Aniéla KOFFI (Ecobank Côte d'Ivoire), Maria Pagura (The World Bank), Dr. Kouassi Yeboua, Ph.D., Ph.D (UN Women), and Claude Owona Ekoto (IFC - International Finance Corporation). This event was a valuable opportunity to discuss innovations and solutions that can accelerate inclusive growth by supporting women entrepreneurs. Among these innovations, the Gender Bond recently launched by Ecobank Côte d'Ivoire took center stage. I am immensely proud to have contributed to this innovation alongside Ecobank Côte d'Ivoire's teams. We will have the opportunity to revisit the role IFC played in this unique issuance, from the idea's inception to the effective closing of the transaction. We also explored innovative solutions proposed by IFC - International Finance Corporation, the The World Bank, and UN Women to address the challenges of supply and demand in financing Women-Small and Medium Enterprises (WSMEs). The event concluded with the pitching of the hackathon, where I had the chance to be part of the jury. The theme of the hackathon was "Data & AI – Breaking Down Financing Barriers for Women Entrepreneurs in Côte d'Ivoire", aligned with the WE Finance Code aspirations for sex-disaggregated data. WE Finance Code, a global initiative that DigiFemmes Côte d'Ivoire joined today. I would like to thank all the panelists for their enriching participation and emphasize that IFC - International Finance Corporation remains committed to accelerating gender equality, turning every opportunity into a step towards a more inclusive future for all. #EmpoweringWomen #InclusiveGrowth #IFC #WorldBank #UNWomen #Ecobank #Digifemmes #SheforShe #HeforShe #March8 #InternationalWomenDay

Ready to Move from Planning to Action on WE Finance Code Implementation? The Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi) and the Financial Alliance for Women are delighted to invite you to the annual WE Finance Code Community of Champions (CoC) In-person Meeting for the year: the 2025 WE Finance Code Study Tour Join us on May 30 in Kigali, Rwanda, for a one-day immersive training gathering code champions from 30 countries, providing a unique opportunity to: ✅ Deepen your expertise on the five key building blocks of Code implementation. ✅ Learn from real-world best practices to strengthen your country’s Code implementation strategy. ✅ Engage in hands-on sessions on setting up National Coalitions, defining WMSMEs, data collection, and more! ✅ Network with global Code peers and industry leaders committed to driving women’s financial inclusion. 📅Date: May 30, 2025 📍Location: Kigali Convention Centre, Rwanda 🎟️ Unique Opportunity: Your invitation also grants access to the Financial Alliance for Women Annual Summit 2025 (May 28-29), a world-class conference around “Accelerating Enabling Entrepreneurial Ecosystems” where the WE Finance Code Rwanda launch will be featured. 👥Who should attend? ·     National Champions (e.g., Central Banks, Code Champions) ·     Code Coordinators and Data Aggregators ·     FSP Code Signatories This is the only in-person opportunity for CoC members to meet this year—don’t miss out on the chance to collaborate, learn, and accelerate action! 📢Register today to secure your spot! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dhMUyHry #WEFinanceCode #WEFinanceCodeStudyTour #2025StudyTour #2025AllianceSummit #2025AnnualSummit #ChampionTheFemaleEconomy

Today, at the Investing in a More Sustainable and Secure Future conference by the European Investment Bank (EIB), Inez Murray, CEO of the Financial Alliance for Women, highlighted the tremendous opportunity for Financial Services Providers to serve Women micro, small, and medium Enterprises (WMSMEs) as a dynamic market with unique needs across all economic levels. As highlighted by Inez Murray, #Women-led #SMEs have experienced an impressive 12% CAGR from 2020 to 2023 across the Financial Alliance for Women's members—outpacing the growth of women’s share in retail lending at 4% CAGR. This growth demonstrates the untapped potential in financing #women #entrepreneurs and underscores the vital role targeted investment can play in advancing economic empowerment and sustainable development. 📊💡 A key global initiative driving this change is the WE Finance Code, which provides a global framework to improve access to finance for Women Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (WMSMEs), helping bridge the financing gap and ensure these businesses thrive. 🌍 The session featured insightful contributions from leading experts: Jen Braswell, Founding Director and Board Member of 2X Global, Anna Fasano, President of Banca Etica, Inez Murray, CEO of Financial Alliance for Women, Christoph Kuhn, Deputy Director General, European Investment Bank (EIB) Projects Directorate, and member of the EIB’s Women Climate Leaders Network #WEFinanceCode #FinancialAllianceforWomen #ChampioningTheFemaleEconomy #SustainableInvesting #InvestInWomen #GenderEquality #EU #WomenMSMEs #WomeninBusiness #WomenEntrepreneurs

The #WEFinanceCode’s power lies in its ability to connect organizations across the globe around a common cause: financing #womenentrepreneurs so they can grow, add jobs, and bring value to their communities and countries. Eight organizations have joined the Code as Global Signatories, and are working to partner with National Coalitions to expand implementation around the world. Check out the #blog post below to learn more about opportunities to work with these institutions including WSBI-ESBG, UN Women, United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI), and Women's World Banking ⬇️

A pleasure being back in Rabat working closely with our partners and national champions Bank Al-Maghrib and Ministère de l'économie et des Finances to coordinate the upcoming launch and implementation of the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi) WE Finance Code in Morocco under the umbrella of the wider National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS). This was the first coordination workshop for the WE Finance Code implementation galvanizing the efforts of the Moroccan government in promoting access to finance to WMSMEs. The Code is envisioned to convene key stakeholders and put data at the heart of the conversation around closing the gender finance gap. I was joined by our experts from ConsumerCentriX who are supporting the EBRD in the implementation of the Code in Morocco. Wendy Teleki Barbara Rambousek Dana Kupova Aurica Balmus Lamiae Derraji Anna Gincherman Emna Mraidi David Taylor

We’re thrilled to announce the ✨2025 WE Finance Code Study Tour✨ taking place in Kigali, Rwanda on May 30! This one-day dynamic event brings together WE Finance Code Community of Champions from over 30 countries 🌍, where you’ll gain exclusive insights and practical tools to implement the WE Finance Code effectively. You’ll learn about the five essential building blocks of Code implementation, network with key stakeholders, and walk away with actionable steps to drive meaningful change for women entrepreneurs/women-led MSMEs. 💡 👉Why attend? - Engage with global experts and fellow CoC Members - Learn from real-world examples of successful Code implementation - Experience an immersive in-person learning experience that offers hands-on, peer-to-peer exchanges that are invaluable for retention and understanding - Take away tangible strategies for your country’s implementation efforts 📆 Date: May 30, 2025  ⏰ Time: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm EAT  📍 Location: Kigali Convention Centre, Kigali, Rwanda 🌟 The Study Tour will take place alongside the Financial Alliance for Women Annual Summit 2025 on May 28 & 29, focusing on “Accelerating Enabling Entrepreneurial Ecosystems”. 👥 Who should attend? - National Champions (e.g., Central Banks, Code Champions) - Code Coordinators and Data Aggregators - FSP Code Signatories 💡The immersive experience offered at the Study Tour will provide valuable insights to shape and accelerate the implementation of the WE Finance Code in your country.💡 Register today for the Study Tour and the Annual Summit using the link below: 🔗 Click here to register for the Study Tour and Summit! https://lnkd.in/eQ-Dver5 Together, we can make meaningful strides in advancing women’s financial inclusion. We look forward to seeing you there! 🙌 #WEFinanceCode #FinancialAllianceforWomen #ChampionTheFemaleEconomy #FinancialInclusion #WomenEntrepreneurs #WEFinanceCodeStudyTour #AllianceSummit2025 #Networking #GlobalLearning #GenderData