The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has launched the second edition of its Banking on Equality (BoE) Policy, introducing enhanced measures to narrow the gender gap in financial inclusion and expand women’s access to banking and financial services.
The BoE Policy 2026 builds on the progress made under the original initiative launched in 2021, with a greater focus on digital financial services, women-led entrepreneurship, access to financing and gender-based data collection. The initiative aims to bring more unbanked women into the formal financial system and strengthen their contribution to Pakistan’s economic growth.
According to the SBP, the gender gap in financial inclusion declined from 39% in 2021 to 29% in 2025 following the implementation of the previous policy. During the same period, banks recruited more than 17,500 women, raising their share of the banking workforce from 13% to 17%. Banks have also established dedicated departments and teams to develop financial products and services tailored to women’s needs.
The new policy introduces additional measures to improve women’s representation and retention in the financial industry, increase their access to digital financial services, promote entrepreneurship and financial literacy, and strengthen the use of gender-disaggregated data to assess progress and expand outreach.
It establishes targets for women’s recruitment, customer outreach and representation among branchless banking agents. Banks have also been advised to provide daycare facilities for working mothers and introduce career development policies to help women advance into senior and leadership positions.
To expand women’s access to banking, the policy calls for targeted digital account-opening campaigns, simplified digital accounts designed around women’s needs, and greater adoption of digital payments by women-led businesses.
The initiative also seeks to increase financing for women-owned and women-led micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Measures include incorporating gender considerations into credit planning, developing specialised and simplified financing products, and using digital platforms and fintech partnerships to improve access to credit.
Banks are also encouraged to adopt alternative credit assessment methods and collateral arrangements to accommodate women entrepreneurs who have limited formal credit histories.
In addition, the policy prioritises financial literacy and entrepreneurial support to help women participate more actively in the formal economy. The SBP will oversee implementation through a monitoring and evaluation framework, quarterly data submissions and regular mystery shopping exercises to assess the delivery of services.
The BoE Policy 2026 was finalised following consultations with domestic and international stakeholders. It is expected to support the National Financial Inclusion Strategy’s target of reducing the gender gap in financial inclusion to 25% by 2028 and contribute to the implementation of the World Bank-led Women Entrepreneurship Finance Code initiative.
Through targeted reforms and stronger collaboration between the public and private sectors, the SBP aims to establish a more inclusive financial system that promotes women’s economic empowerment and supports sustainable national development.