Women's financial inclusion is advancing, but gaps remain. The World Bank's Global Findex 2025 reveals that 77% of women globally now hold a financial account, yet in some low- and middle-income countries, women are still up to 30 percentage points less likely to own one than men. So, what's driving this persistent divide, and how do we close it?  

In our last episode, we looked at some of the barriers nano women entrepreneurs face and potential solutions. Thie time, we turn to the power of data. Gender-disaggregated data gives regulators and financial service providers the insight needed to design products and policies that truly serve women. In this episode, we explore how Rwanda is leading the way using smarter data collection to build a more inclusive and equitable financial system for women. 

Featured Voices 

• Dr. Moise Bigirimana, Director of Financial Sector Development and Inclusion, National Bank of Rwanda 

• Michelle Gacinya, Strategy Lead W-MSME, Bank of Kigali   

• Sabrina Mutangana, Skincare business owner, Rwanda 

Producer: Lamis Daoud, CGAP External Affairs Officer   

Audio Editor and Sound Producer: Samantha Malhotra, World Bank Group Interactive Media Program 

Executive Producer: Jahda Swanborough, CGAP Communications Lead 

© CGAP/World Bank, 2026 

Special thanks to Valdete Berisha for conducting the interviews with this episode's guests on behalf of the produce.  

Listen and subscribe for free on your favorite platform. To learn more, visit www.cgap.org. If you have any feedback, connect with us at [email protected].