• Women’s economic empowerment is one of the pre-requisites for promoting gender equality and sustainable development.
• When women are economically empowered, they can become active promoters of climate change adaptation.
• There is need to enhance formal financial inclusion on women through equitable access to assets and services.

Bank of Zambia (BoZ) has called for enhanced formal financial inclusion on women through equitable access to assets and services, leadership, commitment, and gender responsive policies for livelihood opportunities.
In her Women’s Day message, Bank Deputy Governor Administration Rheka Mhango said women’s economic empowerment is one of the pre-requisites for promoting gender equality and sustainable development.
Ms. Mhanga stated that when women are economically empowered, they can become active and effective promoters of climate change adaptation and mitigation and positively contribute to a sustainable future.
“Bank of Zambia recognizes that women’s economic empowerment is one of the pre-requisites for promoting gender equality and sustainable development. In order to achieve women’s economic empowerment, there is need to enhance formal financial inclusion on women through equitable access to assets and services, leadership, commitment, and gender responsive policies for livelihood opportunities,” she said.
She noted that lack of access to formal financial inclusion has made a number of women to rely on more costly and unsecured alternative financial avenue, without the possibility of saving emergency funds that can be used to mitigate the challenges from climate change conditions.
“International Women’s Day draws attention to such issues and helps us double down on our efforts. Bank of Zambia commemorates this day with the global community to push for Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow,” Ms. Mhanga stated.
The 2022 Women’s Day is being commemorated under the theme: Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow.