The Future of Financial Inclusion

Financial inclusion

Research shows how people with disabilities are more likely to be unbanked and face barriers in starting businesses or obtaining loans due to limited finances, discrimination, stigma, including on creditworthiness, inaccessible services, channels and touch-points.

We know from the UN SG report 2024 that 25% of banks and ATMs in developed regions and 50% in developing regions are inaccessible to wheelchair users.

Financial exclusion limits access to appropriate products that support financial resilience. It forces reliance on costly informal money management creating a lack of independence.

As financial inclusion strategies propagate and interventions start and scale, accessibility and inclusive design must be ensured to prevent further exclusion and marginalization of people with disabilities.

Financial markets

Persons with disabilities make up

1.3 billion individuals (16% of the global population) representing an opportunity for businesses and investors to drive inclusion and tap into economic potential.

 By diversifying trade and supply chains, expanding talent pools, and developing accessible products companies can unlock the purchasing power and loyalty of persons with disabilities.

Investors can promote inclusion through influence and capital.

Development impact

Impact on disability, and inclusion and accessibility relies on budgets and explicit action. Designing programs and interventions inclusively maximises development outcomes and safeguards impact potential by reducing retrofit demands (as we know that retrofitting is programming twice; inclusive and accessible design is programming once).