Pakistan, June 18 -- Despite progress in digital financial services across Pakistan, a new survey has revealed a major gender gap in financial inclusion. According to the Karandaaz Financial Inclusion Survey, only 14% of women have access to financial services, compared to 56% of men.

The report showed that 35% of Pakistanis now use banks, mobile wallets, or non-bank financial institutions. This marks a 28% increase in financial access over the past decade-up from just 7% in 2014. However, this growth has mostly benefited men.

While men's financial inclusion rose by 45 percentage points, women saw only an 11-point increase, growing from 3% in 2014 to 14% in 2024. The gender gap in mobile wallet ownership is also wide: 48% of men have re...