In early September, Johannesburg became a meeting point for leaders in finance, policy and technology to address one of the defining challenges of our time: how to build systems that include everyone. Their conclusion was clear and urgent – inclusive digital public infrastructure is the foundation for opportunity, especially for the 700m women still excluded from the formal financial system.
As Christine Wu, interim co-chief executive of Absa Group, told delegates: ‘When women rise, we all rise. And the future we shape together will be undeniably brighter.’ At stake is not only justice in the financial landscape, but growth.
The 2025 financial inclusion forum, hosted by Women’s World Banking, centred on three fundamental pillars of digital public infrastructure: digital ID, inclusive payments and consumer protection.
Together, these elements determine whether financial systems are merely accessible – or truly usable and trusted. By 2030, digital ID systems could unlock $13.7tn in economic value, with a considerable portion benefitting women.
Building blocks for trust and growth
Natalie Baatjies, senior programme officer at the Gates Foundation, opened a key session with a provocation: ‘Our goal today is to make you uncomfortable – so you are up late tonight worrying about those who are left out.’
The discomfort is warranted. Globally, 850m people still lack an official ID, with women disproportionately affected. Without it, they cannot open accounts, register businesses or access credit.
Insights shared during the forum highlighted persistent barriers as well as promising solutions. Luis Gustavo Mansur Siqueira, head of financial citizenship at Banco Central do Brasil, reflected on the success of Pix, Brazil’s instant payments system: ‘We started in 2003 with an agent banking network, then gradually allowed digital account openings and new players. By the time Pix was introduced, the ecosystem was ready – and that’s why adoption scaled so fast.’
A call for women-centred design
While digital tools are spreading fast – Africa alone hosts more than 1,200 fintech companies, up from 450 in 2020 – usage continues to lag. The reason: most services aren’t designed with women in mind.
Nolwazi Hlophe, senior specialist at South Africa’s Financial Sector Conduct Authority, warned of the risks: ‘For women, trust begins with transparency, choice and the assurance their data will be used responsibly.’
Fintech leaders like Aria Widyanto, chief risk and sustainability officer of Indonesian lender Amartha, echoed the urgency of, and power in, designing for women’s realities in mind. He explained: ‘Two major barriers – low digital literacy and the psychological barrier where women don’t think they belong – drive inactivity. Our hybrid model has reached 1.6m women in two years, and these customers become active users.’
Commitments and partnerships
Forum discussions did more than diagnose problems; they pressed for bold commitments. Women’s World Banking announced two global targets for 2035. First, every country has a national digital ID system that tracks women’s enrolment – driving a 20% increase in women’s digital payments. Second, every country adopts consumer protection policies that reduce the gender gap in financial services by 10 percentage points.
Collaboration is crucial. Francesca Brown, global director of policy and advocacy at Women’s World Banking, emphasised: ‘Partnership is not optional – it’s the only way to bridge identity, payments and protection into systems women can trust. No single actor can close the gender gap alone.’
From forum to the future of your market
The Johannesburg forum was not an isolated event. It stood deliberately alongside the G20 and Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion dialogues, bridging high-level rhetoric with grounded action. Delegates – from central bankers to fintech entrepreneurs – wrote postcards to their future selves, pledging concrete steps to build a more inclusive DPI.
Monique Nsanzabaganwa, former deputy chair of the African Union Commission, offered a powerful reminder: ‘Finance is like water; it will always flow where there are viable projects. Let us make sure those projects include women.’
The evidence is overwhelming: inclusion for women means stronger economies for all. When women access finance, they invest in families, communities and nations. When systems are designed for women, they work better for everyone.
But rhetoric will not move the needle. The forum’s central theme still rings true far beyond the conference walls: it is time to move from dialogue to delivery. The tools are here. The market is ready. What’s needed now is commitment – by policy-makers, regulators, financial service providers and investors alike – to make financial systems not only accessible but equitable.
The next decade will decide whether the 700m excluded women remain invisible or become the drivers of global growth. What role will you play in ensuring they are not left behind?
Marina Dimova is Director of Strategic Partnerships and Arianne Wunder is Integrated Marketing and Content Senior Specialist at Women’s World Banking.
Read WWB’s latest Policy Handbook for Women’s Financial Inclusion Draft for Consultation and Financial Service Provider Inclusive Product Design Guide.
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