Thinking financial inclusion

Financial inclusion is a cornerstone of sustainable development. The basic premise being that zero or poor access to financial services makes life a lot more complicated for people trying to grow a business, take care of a family and access the services they need in day-to-day life. By improving the quality of financial services and connections for underserved populations, we can help reduce poverty, improve economic resilience, encourage innovation and close equity gaps. As a start, financial inclusion creates access to a transaction account, allowing money storage and to send and receive payments. But it also covers a whole range of client-facing services, like savings, insurance, lending, as well as broader issues such as financial literacy, digital identity and financial technology.  There are various industries that are pushing the needle forward on financial inclusion. In the Lebanese context, the microfinance sector has been a powerful driver; providing financial services to