Assessing the Relationship Between Financial Inclusion and Gender Equality in Access to Banking Services

Posted: Jul 31, 2020

• Joseph Garcia
• Jacob Scott
• Henry Smith

Abstract

This research investigates the complex relationship between financial inclusion initiatives and gender equality in banking services access, employing a novel methodological framework that combines computational social science with intersectional feminist economics. While previous studies have examined financial inclusion and gender disparities separately, our approach uniquely integrates machine learning techniques with qualitative critical analysis to reveal how ostensibly gender-neutral financial inclusion policies often perpetuate existing inequalities. We developed a multi-dimensional assessment framework that evaluates 47 financial inclusion programs across 23 developing economies, analyzing both quantitative access metrics and qualitative empowerment indicators. Our methodology incorporates natural language processing of policy documents, network analysis of financial service distribution, and intersectional regression modeling that accounts for overlapping social identities. The findings demonstrate that 78