PURCHASE, N.Y.—Only 47% of women worldwide have access to formal financial services, according to the World Bank.
“This is one of the biggest challenges women face in economic empowerment,” stated MasterCard.
In honor of International Women’s Day today, MasterCard explained that a global effort is underway to take a deeper look into women’s equality issues as well as their social, economic, cultural and political achievements.
MasterCard said is demonstrating a commitment to gender equality and economic empowerment for women through several initiatives, including:
- In Purchase, N.Y., MasterCard’s CFO, Martina Hund-Mejean, signed a memorandum of understanding with Lakshmi Puri, United Nations assistant secretary-general deputy executive director. UN Women and MasterCard announced a partnership to support gender equality and economic empowerment through programs that give women a formal identity and financial tools.
- In further support of UN Women, Tara Nathan, MasterCard EVP of public-private partnerships, will participate in a United Nations International Women’s Day panel discussion on what a gender equal planet means and how it can become a reality through public-private partnerships.
- In Nairobi, MasterCard and African Women and Beyond (AWAB) joined to launch the Africa Women Leadership Network, designed to draw attention to the importance of financial empowerment of women. The AWLN brings together like-minded women from various business sectors to tackle challenges facing women in East Africa, and across the continent.
- Last week MasterCard released the 2016 Index on Women’s Advancement (MIWA), as part of MasterCard’s ongoing dedication towards tracking and analyzing women’s progress across 18 markets in Asia/Pacific. And today, an inaugural “Girls in Tech” study released in Asia Pacific looks at the drivers attracting girls in the region to pursue STEM subjects and related careers.