Remittances as a Driver of Women's Financial Inclusion in the Mekong Region

United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) research has shown that remittances are a high-volume driver for women’s financial inclusion, especially when accessed through digital channels. Although the rapid development of formal remittance markets in the Mekong region has been documented, few studies have examined informal remittance channels or disaggregated data by sex. As a result, the relationships between international remittances and women’s financial inclusion remain little understood.

This study explores both formal and informal international remittance markets in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam and identifies innovative solutions to cross-border payments and tailored financial products that advance women’s financial inclusion. The paper generates insights from country-wide MAP-FinScope surveys and customer field interviews, and incorporates feedback from the region’s key remittance service providers through surveys and in-depth interviews.