By Ephrem Rutagarama and Charles Eloi CYUSA,Access to Finance Rwanda(AFR)

Women are one-half of the world’s population but only contribute to 37 percent of the global GDP. In many cultures, women are expected to prioritize their roles as caregivers and homemakers over their careers or business ventures, and worldwide, women earn 63 percent less than men, yet they spend three times as many hours on unpaid labor, such as housework. This gender gap has several negative consequences, including poverty, hunger, and poor health and have often prevented women from accessing financial services and participating in the formal economy. However, with the advent of digital finance, there is an opportunity to disrupt these social norms and drive economic inclusion for women.