National Bank of Ethiopia Launches Initiative to Close Gender Gap in Finance

ADDIS ABABA — The National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) has inaugurated the Network of Ethiopia’s Women in Finance (NEWFin), aiming to diminish the gender disparity within the country’s financial sector.

According to Ethiopian News Agency, the initiative is expected to catalyze significant changes in the industry by promoting women into leadership positions, thus fostering gender equality and contributing to economic advancement. The launch event was part of a conference focused on enhancing the role of the financial sector in supporting women, where Mihretu highlighted the dual underrepresentation of women as consumers of financial services and as professionals within the sector. The World Bank Group’s Acting Country Director, Doina Petrescu, also noted the World Bank’s involvement in supporting the evolution of Ethiopia’s financial landscape, including the liberalization of the banking sector and the development of the country’s first national financial inclusion strategy.