Enhance ReadabilityOne year ago, Criterion Institute and USAID started a journey together of exploring the state of gender lens investing in Asia. Gender lens investing had literature and visible leadership primarily concentrated in North America and Europe, however we sought to highlight the leadership and activity of how Asian markets were integrating a gender analysis into financial analysis to make better investment decisions.
There is an active and growing field of gender lens investing in Asia. Tweet This Quote
The goal of our effort was to understand existing leaders and activities, and make recommendations to accelerate leadership and activity in the field of gender lens investing throughout the region.
We traveled to seven countries and met hundreds of collaborators and partners, as well as convened leaders who are in a position to advance the field. Not only did we find that there is an active and growing field of gender lens investing in Asia, we found amazing leaders and activities already underway, as well as innovations to approaches that can shape the field globally. The USAID report, Gender Lens Investing in Asia, documents these people and stories.
The world of finance is changing faster than ever at a global scale, and with it the way we view and value women and girls. Tweet This Quote
The potential for the field of gender lens investing in Asia is to serve as a needed bridge between two established areas of leadership and expertise—gender studies and finance—and to enable a broader conversation about opportunities to create gender-equitable social change.
The Women Impact Alliance platform launching in India and the GREAT Women ASEAN Initiative are just a couple of examples of the field’s growth in Asia. While the report demonstrates some of the work already being done, there are countless other opportunities left to be captured.
The world of finance is changing faster than ever at a global scale, and with it the way we view and value women and girls. Achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls will have increased emphasis in the soon to be launched Sustainable Development Goals.
We encourage you to explore finance as another tool for achieving gender-equitable social change. Tweet This Quote
We encourage you to incorporate gender lens investing into your financial strategy. We encourage you to explore finance as another tool for achieving gender-equitable social change. You can begin by engaging in conversations and partaking in conferences such as Sankalp Southeast Asia. Seek out the opportunities to connect to other leaders and organizations shaping the field, many of which are named in the report. Help bridge data gaps, and collaborate with others to build the field.
The Gender Lens Investing in Asia report serves as a platform for pushing the field forward. We invite you to read the report, spread it with others, and to share your own experiences of why this work is relevant.
Editor’s note: This is the final post in Joy and Patty’s series exploring entrepreneurship and investing in Asia through a gender lens. Be sure to read the rest of USAID’s Gender Lens Investing in Asia report.
