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In this webinar, Grameen Foundation replicated a debate held during the 2017 Women's Economic Empowerment Global Learning Forum on the best way the close the digital financial services (DFS) Gender Gap. One side offered the proposition that digital platforms allow for more specialized and focused financial products. Using behavioral economics, our sector should focus on developing products that meet the specific needs of women and the way they manage money. The con side argued that financial products are all similar, and what we need to focus on is greater financial and digital literacy and increasing equitable household relations.

Speakers

Rebecca Rouse, Director, Financial Inclusion, Innovations for Poverty Action

Rebecca Rouse directs IPA's Financial Inclusion Program, overseeing a portfolio of research initiatives and randomized evaluations to find effective solutions to help the poor manage and grow their money. Before joining IPA, she was Coordinator of the Regional Facility on Remittances and Savings of the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF), a member of the Inter-American Development Bank Group. Prior to joining the MIF, Rebecca served as IPA's United States Household Finance Initiative Program Manager from 2010 to 2013. Rebecca also worked at the Inter-American Dialogue, the International Organization for Migration, FINCA Peru, Banco de Ahorro y Crédito Unión in the Dominican Republic, and as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer in Philadelphia. Rebecca holds an MPA from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, and a BA in political science from Bryn Mawr College.

Tanjilut Tasnuba, Team Leader, Social Innovation Lab, BRAC

Tanjilut Tasnuba is a Team Leader at the BRAC Social Innovation Lab. Currently she is leading the project "Innovation Fund for Mobile Money" funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Tanjilut is also involved in consultancy with INGOs and development partners. She has conducted independent research with Data Analysis and Technical Assistance Limited, Action Aid Bangladesh, Plan International Bangladesh. Tanjilut's areas of expertise include educational development, social innovation, digital financial services for development, quantitative and qualitative research, team leadership and project management. She has completed Bachelor of Education and Master of Education degree from Institute of Education and Research of University of Dhaka and a Masters of Arts degree in Special and Inclusive Education under Commonwealth Scholarship UK-2013 from Institute of Education, University College London.

Grace Majara, Senior Advisor - Financial Inclusion, CARE International

Prior to joining CARE International UK as Senior Advisor , Financial Inclusion, Grace was leading the Women and Youth Financial Inclusion programme for CARE International in Uganda where she provided strategic direction and leadership for a number of financial inclusion, enterprise development and market access programmes. She is well known for having championed the Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) methodology and taking it to scale for not only CARE Uganda but across the region. She has over 18 years experience in developing and implementing financial inclusion and innovative solutions that includes VSLA programming, digital technology, financial literacy and linkages, enterprise development and value chain programming. Through her work, Grace has partnered with banks, microfinance institutions, mobile network operators and others in the private sector to adapt financial services to meet the needs of poor and marginalised people, especially women and youth, and has been involved in creating and co-creating innovative solutions, including digital solutions, to bring financial inclusion to previously unreached communities.

Moderator

Lauren Hendricks, Executive Vice President for Global Strategy, Grameen Foundation

Lauren Hendricks is the Executive Vice President for Global Strategy for Grameen Foundation. She was previously Executive Director for the Access Africa initiative at CARE, where she led the development of financial inclusion programs and innovative solutions to reach the poorest people in Africa. In this role, she partnered with banks, microfinance institutions, mobile network operators, and others in the private sector to adapt products and services to meet the needs of the poor, and to ensure that participants benefitted from new, digital financial services. Lauren also served as Director of the Economic Development Unit for CARE USA, where she provided strategic direction and technical leadership for more than 100 active microfinance and enterprise development programs in 54 countries.