IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/pre/wpaper/202167.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Financial Inclusion and Gender Inequality in sub-Saharan Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Tendai Zawaira

    (Department of Economics, University of Pretoria, Hatfield 0028, South Africa)

  • Matthew Clance

    (Department of Economics, University of Pretoria, Hatfield 0028, South Africa)

  • Carolyn Chisadza

    (Department of Economics, University of Pretoria, Hatfield 0028, South Africa)

  • Rangan Gupta

    (Department of Economics, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa)

Abstract

This study analyses the association between financial inclusion and gender inequality in sub-Saharan Africa. Our findings suggest that generally, most individuals in sub-Saharan Africa rely on informal sources of finance, such as savings at a savings club and borrowing from family and friends compared to formal financial sources. Moreover, women are more likely to turn to the informal sources compared to men which is a concern that needs to be addressed at policy level. Improving access to finance is at the center of improving gender equality and increasing the economic freedoms and opportunities that women have to contribute to their families and societies.

Suggested Citation

  • Tendai Zawaira & Matthew Clance & Carolyn Chisadza & Rangan Gupta, 2021. "Financial Inclusion and Gender Inequality in sub-Saharan Africa," Working Papers 202167, University of Pretoria, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:pre:wpaper:202167
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    To our knowledge, this item is not available for download. To find whether it is available, there are three options:
    1. Check below whether another version of this item is available online.
    2. Check on the provider's web page whether it is in fact available.
    3. Perform a search for a similarly titled item that would be available.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Esther Duflo, 2012. "Women Empowerment and Economic Development," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 50(4), pages 1051-1079, December.
    2. Cooray, Arusha & Potrafke, Niklas, 2011. "Gender inequality in education: Political institutions or culture and religion?," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 268-280, June.
    3. Ms. Katrin Elborgh-Woytek & Ms. Monique Newiak & Ms. Kalpana Kochhar & Ms. Stefania Fabrizio & Mr. Kangni R Kpodar & Mr. Philippe Wingender & Mr. Benedict J. Clements & Mr. Gerd Schwartz, 2013. "Women, Work, and the Economy: Macroeconomic Gains from Gender Equity," IMF Staff Discussion Notes 2013/010, International Monetary Fund.
    4. Asli Demeirgüç-Kunt & Ross Levine (ed.), 0. "Finance and Growth," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 17119.
    5. World Bank, 2011. "World Development Report 2011 [Rapport sur le développement dans le monde 2011 : Conflits, sécurité et développement - Abrégé]," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 4389.
    6. Li, Yunrong, 2017. "The effects of formal and informal child care on the Mother's labor supply—Evidence from urban China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 227-240.
    7. Morrison, Andrew & Raju, Dhushyanth & Sinha, Nistha, 2007. "Gender equality, poverty and economic growth," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4349, The World Bank.
    8. Levine, Ross, 1999. "Law, Finance, and Economic Growth," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 8(1-2), pages 8-35, January.
    9. Beck, Thorsten & Levine, Ross & Loayza, Norman, 2000. "Finance and the sources of growth," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(1-2), pages 261-300.
    10. David Cuberes & Marc Teignier, 2014. "Gender Inequality And Economic Growth: A Critical Review," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(2), pages 260-276, March.
    11. John Strauss & Mariza Barbosa & Sonia Teixeira & Duncan Thomas & Raimundo Gomes Junior, 1991. "Role of education and extension in the adoption of technology: a study of upland rice and soybean farmers in Central‐West Brazil," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 5(4), pages 341-359, August.
    12. Paul Schultz, T., 2001. "Women's roles in the agricultural household: Bargaining and human capital investments," Handbook of Agricultural Economics, in: B. L. Gardner & G. C. Rausser (ed.), Handbook of Agricultural Economics, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 8, pages 383-456, Elsevier.
    13. Christian Gonzales & Sonali Jain-Chandra & Kalpana Kochhar & Monique Newiak & Tlek Zeinullayev, 2015. "Catalyst for Change; Empowering Women and Tackling Income Inequality," IMF Staff Discussion Notes 15/20, International Monetary Fund.
    14. King, Robert G. & Levine, Ross, 1993. "Finance, entrepreneurship and growth: Theory and evidence," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 513-542, December.
    15. Katrin Elborgh-Woytek & Monique Newiak & Kalpana Kochhar & Stefania Fabrizio & Kangni R Kpodar & Philippe Wingender & Benedict J. Clements & Gerd Schwartz, 2013. "Women, Work, and the Economy; Macroeconomic Gains from Gender Equity," IMF Staff Discussion Notes 13/10, International Monetary Fund.
    16. Mr. Jonathan David Ostry & Mr. Andrew Berg & Mr. Charalambos G Tsangarides, 2014. "Redistribution, Inequality, and Growth," IMF Staff Discussion Notes 2014/002, International Monetary Fund.
    17. Thorsten Beck & Asli Demirgüç-Kunt & Ross Levine, 2007. "Finance, inequality and the poor," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 27-49, March.
    18. Mr. Christian Gonzales & Ms. Sonali Jain-Chandra & Ms. Kalpana Kochhar & Ms. Monique Newiak & Mr. Tlek Zeinullayev, 2015. "Catalyst for Change: Empowering Women and Tackling Income Inequality," IMF Staff Discussion Notes 2015/020, International Monetary Fund.
    19. Eliana La Ferrara, 2016. "Mass Media and Social Change: Can We Use Television to Fight Poverty?," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 14(4), pages 791-827.
    20. Eliana La Ferrara, 2016. "Mass Media And Social Change: Can We Use Television To Fight Poverty?," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 14(4), pages 791-827, August.
    21. Cuberes,David & Teignier,Marc, 2015. "How costly are labor gender gaps ? estimates for the Balkans and Turkey," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7319, The World Bank.
    22. World Bank, 2014. "Global Financial Development Report 2014 : Financial Inclusion," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 16238.
    23. World Bank, 2012. "World Development Report 2012 [Rapport sur le développement dans le monde 2012]," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 4391.
    24. Jonathan David Ostry & Andrew Berg & Charalambos G Tsangarides, 2014. "Redistribution, Inequality, and Growth," IMF Staff Discussion Notes 14/02, International Monetary Fund.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Tendai Zawaira & Manoel Bittencourt & Matthew W. Clance, 2018. "Gender Inequality and Marketisation Hypothesis in Sub-Saharan Africa," Working Papers 201876, University of Pretoria, Department of Economics.
    2. Purva Khera, 2016. "Macroeconomic Impacts of Gender Inequality and Informality in India," IMF Working Papers 2016/016, International Monetary Fund.
    3. Ms. Janet Gale Stotsky & Ms. Lisa L Kolovich & Suhaib Kebhaj, 2016. "Sub-Saharan Africa: A Survey of Gender Budgeting Efforts," IMF Working Papers 2016/152, International Monetary Fund.
    4. Romina Kazandjian & Ms. Lisa L Kolovich & Ms. Kalpana Kochhar & Ms. Monique Newiak, 2016. "Gender Equality and Economic Diversification," IMF Working Papers 2016/140, International Monetary Fund.
    5. Manuel Santos Silva & Stephan Klasen, 2021. "Gender inequality as a barrier to economic growth: a review of the theoretical literature," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 581-614, September.
    6. Seven, Unal & Coskun, Yener, 2016. "Does financial development reduce income inequality and poverty? Evidence from emerging countries," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 34-63.
    7. Romina Kazandjian & Lisa Kolovich & Kalpana Kochhar & Monique Newiak, 2019. "Gender Equality and Economic Diversification," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-24, April.
    8. International Monetary Fund, 2016. "Pakistan: Selected Issues Paper," IMF Staff Country Reports 2016/002, International Monetary Fund.
    9. Cong Wang & Amjad Naveed, 2021. "Can Women Empowerment Explain Cross-Country Differences in Inequality? A Global Perspective," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 158(2), pages 667-697, December.
    10. Massimiliano Affinito, 2011. "Convergence clubs, the euro-area rank and the relationship between banking and real convergence," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 809, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    11. Beck Thorsten & Büyükkarabacak Berrak & Rioja Felix K. & Valev Neven T., 2012. "Who Gets the Credit? And Does It Matter? Household vs. Firm Lending Across Countries," The B.E. Journal of Macroeconomics, De Gruyter, vol. 12(1), pages 1-46, March.
    12. Ms. Janet Gale Stotsky & Sakina Shibuya & Ms. Lisa L Kolovich & Suhaib Kebhaj, 2016. "Trends in Gender Equality and Women’s Advancement," IMF Working Papers 2016/021, International Monetary Fund.
    13. Paudel, Jayash & de Araujo, Pedro, 2017. "Demographic responses to a political transformation: Evidence of women’s empowerment from Nepal," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 45(2), pages 325-343.
    14. Silva, Thiago Christiano & Tabak, Benjamin Miranda & Laiz, Marcela Tetzner, 2021. "The finance-growth nexus: The role of banks," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 45(1).
    15. Stijn Claessens & Leora F. Klapper, 2005. "Bankruptcy around the World: Explanations of Its Relative Use," American Law and Economics Review, American Law and Economics Association, vol. 7(1), pages 253-283.
    16. Boris Cournède & Oliver Denk & Peter Hoeller, 2015. "Finance and Inclusive Growth," OECD Economic Policy Papers 14, OECD Publishing.
    17. Beck, Thorsten & Demirguc-Kunt, Asli & Levine, Ross, 2003. "Law and finance: why does legal origin matter?," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(4), pages 653-675, December.
    18. Ndikumana, Leonce, 2005. "Financial development, financial structure, and domestic investment: International evidence," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 24(4), pages 651-673, June.
    19. Beck, Thorsten & Demirguc-Kunt, Asli & Levine, Ross & Maksimovic, Vojislav, 2000. "Financial structure and economic development - firm, industry, and country evidence," Policy Research Working Paper Series 2423, The World Bank.
    20. Štěpán Jurajda & Janet Mitchell, 2003. "Markets and Growth," International Economic Association Series, in: Gary McMahon & Lyn Squire (ed.), Explaining Growth, chapter 4, pages 117-158, Palgrave Macmillan.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gender; Financial development; Financial inclusion; Africa;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pre:wpaper:202167. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Rangan Gupta (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/decupza.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.