Poverty

West Africa launches new payments digitization agenda

Media release from the Better Than Cash Alliance, the World Bank and the National Agency of Statistics and Demography of Senegal (ANSD)

Reaching Financial Equality for Women

A 10-point action plan for governments and businesses to rebuild stronger after COVID-19 by prioritizing women’s digital financial inclusion

FAO pledges to scale up direct use of digital financial transfers

Director-General says joining the Better Than Cash Alliance is part of stimulating more innovation and financial inclusion for smallholders

VoxDev Lit: Mobile Money (literature review) Toolkit

Analyzing impacts and potential of mobile money on (women’s) economic empowerment, financial inclusion and poverty reduction.

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: The Impact of Mobile Money on Poverty Toolkit

Mobile money accounts have spread widely in select regions of the developing world, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. This Research Brief focuses on the individual and household impacts of mobile money.

COVID-19 Exclusion Working Group (Gender) – Introduction and Strategic Enablers for Digital Payments Toolkit

COVID-19 is causing unprecedented health, economic and social crises and threatens the poverty and inclusion gains that have been made over the last decade.

Senegal: tech helps boost access to health to leave poverty behind

Some African nations lead the world’s e-money businesses. And several are finding that leaving notes and coins behind is not only improving efficiency, safety and transparency, but it is als…

Poverty and Migration in the Digital Age: Experimental Evidence on Mobile Banking in Bangladesh

This study traces the impact of mobile money transfers on rural poverty. Migrants actively using the technology increased remittances sent by 30% in value.

Accelerating the SDGs: How Digital Finance Can Ignite Faster Progress Toward the Global Goals

As world leaders met at the U.N. General Assembly in New York last week, many discussions focused on how to ignite greater progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Increasin…

Why having less cash can mean a better life

A third of adults struggle to get by without basic financial services to protect against hardship and save for the future. Ruth Goodwin-Groen, of the UN-based Better Than Cash Alliance, expl…

Gap Inc. Sets New Goal For Apparel Suppliers To Pay Garment Workers Digitally By 2020

Joins UN-based Better than Cash Alliance to Promote Financial Inclusion and Greater Supply Chain Transparency and Efficiency…

New UN report reveals momentum for digital payments in Ghana could save over GHS 1 billion within next four years

With 37 percent of the value of all payments now made digitally, Ghana is on course to be a leader in the region, with great potential to expand economic opportunities for businesses…

Fight for light: Report on SDG-7

How digital payments can alleviate energy poverty

The Fight for Light: Improving Energy Access through Digital Payments

This report examines new business models and government initiatives for energy access that rely upon digital payments.

UN: Digitisation of Kenyan farmer payments helps tackle poverty

How Digitizing Agricultural Input Payments in Rural Kenya is Tackling Poverty: The Case of One Acre Fund

This new case study features an examination of the nonprofit organization One Acre Fund (OAF) which teaches better crop management techniques and provides inputs on credit to smallholder farmers throughout East Africa.

UN study: Digitization of Kenyan farmer payments helps tackle poverty

One Acre Fund cut payment losses and collection costs by over 80 percent, boosting farmers’ satisfaction and economic opportunity…

UN report: Social network payments now reach nearly US $3 trillion in China

Payments on messaging and e-commerce platforms set to increase China’s GDP by $236 billion by 2025, unlocking new economic opportunities for people and small businesses…

To improve the lives of nearly 2 million workers, H&M group will encourage suppliers to pay workers digitally

H&M group becomes the first global fashion brand to join the United Nations’ Better Than Cash Alliance…