Source: Times of Zambia
FINANCIAL inclusion among women entrepreneurs is critical for
achieving inclusive growth and poverty reduction in the country, Bank
of Zambia (BoZ) Deputy Governor administration Tukiya Mabula has
said.

Many women in Zambia, together with the businesses they run are
financially excluded.

Dr Mabula said this was also acknowledged in a 2011 report by the
Gender and Development Division on study tour to Tanzania and Rwanda,
regarding women’s economic empowerment.

She was speaking during the Zambia Federation of Associations for
Women in Business (ZAFWIB) two-day national conference in Lusaka
yesterday.

Dr Mabula said there was evidence that gender disparities in national
development still existed in Zambia and one of the areas of concern
was access to finance by women entrepreneurs.

In order to address this situation, Dr Mabula said one of the
objectives in the the Sixth National Development Plan (SNDP) was to
enhance the capacity of women to participate in national development.

“The report further states that due to weak economic position such as
lack of collateral required by most financial institutions, most women
especially in the rural areas are unable to access investment capital to
engage in business and other economic activities as individuals,” Dr
Mabula said.

She said access to financial services, especially credit and insurance
enhanced livelihood opportunities and empowered women and other
marginalised groups to take charge of their lives as well as improve
their social and economic equity.

 

• Zambia