The number of active bank accounts held by women in Pakistan has increased to 37 million as of June 2025, up from 20 million in September 2021, while the gender gap in financial inclusion has narrowed from 39% to 30%, according to State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Governor Jameel Ahmad.
He shared the figures during a session titled “Capital to Scale: Women Entrepreneurs as Job Creators” at the World Bank headquarters in Washington, held on the sidelines of the World Bank Group’s 2025 Annual Meetings. The discussion focused on advancing women’s economic participation through targeted financial reforms and access to capital.
Ahmad attributed this progress to the central bank’s Banking on Equality policy — a gender-mainstreaming framework introduced in 2021 to enhance women’s access to finance and employment in the financial sector. “The policy has helped bridge the gender gap in financial inclusion and strengthen institutional diversity,” he said.
According to the SBP governor, the number of female borrowers from microfinance institutions has grown by over 200%, while women’s participation in small and medium enterprise (SME) and agricultural financing has doubled since the policy’s introduction. He added that banks have inducted over 14,600 women into their workforce in the past three years.
Ahmad announced that the central bank is finalising the second phase of the Banking on Equality policy, which will focus on integrating digital solutions, business profiling, and remote financing tools to support women-led micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
Highlighting Pakistan’s commitment to gender-inclusive growth, he said the SBP has adopted the WE-Finance Code, a World Bank-led initiative developed in collaboration with international financial institutions and partner countries to reduce gender disparities in MSME financing.
“Twenty-two banks in Pakistan have joined this initiative,” Ahmad said, adding that it would help bridge gender-disaggregated data gaps and enable banks to design targeted financial solutions for women entrepreneurs.
He also emphasised the need for consistent gender-inclusive national strategies, women-friendly work environments, and greater investment in capacity building. “Women entrepreneurs play a vital role in driving inclusive and sustainable economic growth,” Ahmad said. “The SBP remains committed to empowering women through financial inclusion and equitable access to opportunities.”
