Impact of financial inclusion in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review of reviews

This systematic review by Duvendack and Mader assessed the evidence on economic, social, behavioural and gender-related outcomes from financial inclusion interventions. Overall, the effects of financial services on core economic poverty indicators, such as incomes, assets or spending, and on health status and other social outcomes, are small and inconsistent. The effects of financial services on women’s empowerment appear to be generally positive, but they depend upon programme features that are often only peripheral or unrelated to the financial service itself (e.g. education about rights), cultural and geographical context, and which aspects of empowerment are considered.