Financial Inclusion for Women in the Informal Economy: An SDG Agenda Post Pandemic

ABSTRACT

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, a gender divide and inequality already existed within the world's economies;the global pandemic exacerbated this further. Many developing countries have been impacted enormously by the pandemic. Also, a sizeable portion of the workforce in these developing countries works within the informal economy, and they are predominantly women who are financially excluded. This study provided a conceptual framework illustrating the place of women in the informal economy and how the pandemic has affected their prospects in contributing to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Based on the literature on financial inclusion and participation of women in the informal economy, this study provides several policy recommendations within the context of Africa. The study also offers theoretical contributions for academics, students, researchers, gender specialists, activists, financial service providers, and policymakers on the interconnections between gender, financial inclusion, and sustainable development. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021.