This global toolkit outlines the mandate for gender-disaggregated data, emphasizing the strong business rationale and alignment with global targets such as Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG5 on )gender equality and women’s empowerment. Financial inclusion is a key enabler for other goals, including SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), which includes a target to strengthen the capacity of financial institutions to expand access to financial services for all.

The Toolkit builds directly upon foundational work done for the Southern African Development Community (SADC). We gratefully acknowledge the pioneering efforts and frameworks established in the SADC Gender Statistics and Financial Inclusion Toolkit, which was developed with the support of UN Women. The insights and lessons learned from that regional initiative have been instrumental in shaping this more universal and comprehensive Toolkit.