Gender and Ubia Soko - Day 11







We recognise the importance of mainstreaming gender equality and social inclusion in our work. Research shows that involving women in agriculture creates more stable supply chains in addition to increased productivity and higher product quality. The gender gap in bank account use is currently about 10-15%, however the gap is being reversed in mobile money accounts, where women outnumber men by about 22% in Kenya. The case for mobile banking, which rests heavily on personal transfers and payments, is very relevant for women, who play an active role in managing the family’s finances. As these services grow and evolve, women’s financial equality should improve. However, our own observations over the past few weeks show that there is still a long way to go particularly in the regions where we are currently operating. But by integrating mobile money into the Ubia Soko platform we expect this to go some way in supporting greater gender equality.

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