Reimagining Financial Inclusion: A Pathway to Empower the Marginalized
Since the early 2000s, financial inclusion has garnered significant attention as a catalyst for economic opportunity, growth, and development. Across developing and least-developed nations, governments and institutions have adopted various policies to expand access to financial services. However, a recent shift in global discourse suggests that financial inclusion is increasingly viewed as an end in itself, rather than a broader tool for socio-economic empowerment.
Technological advancements—such as mobile banking, fintech platforms, and digital wallets—have been central to recent financial inclusion efforts. While these tools increase access, there is growing concern that they reduce the conversation to technology alone, overshadowing the deeper goal: empowering marginalized communities. Financial exclusion often intersects with other forms of social exclusion rooted in poverty, illiteracy, and discrimination, including those based on gender, caste, and race.
Furthermore, overreliance on digital solutions may inadvertently worsen digital exclusion. Similarly, microfinance—once hailed as a game-changer—has shown mixed outcomes, at times leading to over-indebtedness rather than empowerment.
To address these challenges, the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) has issued a call for papers that critically re-examines financial inclusion as a developmental tool. Researchers are encouraged to explore themes such as the socioeconomic impact of access to credit, deposit services, pensions, gender-based financial barriers, financial literacy, regulatory frameworks, and the role of digital finance in vulnerable communities.
Submissions (7,000–10,000 words) are due by 30 September 2025 and selected papers will be featured in a 2026 edited volume. Authors may also be invited to a virtual conference and receive an honorarium upon fulfilling all requirements.
This initiative aims to broaden the understanding of financial inclusion—not just as access, but as empowerment—ensuring no one is left behind in the journey toward sustainable development.
