It is estimated that 1.1 billion women around the world are excluded from the formal financial system, which represents 55 percent of the global number of unbanked individuals. Sponsored by Omidyar Network and carried out by BFA (Bankable Frontiers Associates), this new report explores why women in emerging economies don’t access and use formal financial services to the extent of their male counterparts.

Following the lauded Financial Diaries methodology, through the analysis of behavioral data from deep engagements with low-income, economically active women, the report includes both rich stories and detailed cash flows over time, offering a more nuanced view of surveyed women’s financial behavior, highlighting key differences from men’s, and uncovering compelling product design recommendations for financial services providers.