Addis Ababa, March 10, 2026

FSD Ethiopia convened policymakers, regulators, financial institutions, and development partners in Addis Ababa on Tuesday to mark International Women’s Day 2026 with a dialogue focused on strengthening women’s participation in Ethiopia’s evolving financial system. 

Held under the theme “Access to Influence: Advancing Women’s Digital Financial Inclusion and Leadership in the Financial Sector,” the event examined systemic barriers that limit women’s access to and use of financial services and explored market- level solutions to address them. 

Opening the event, Hikmet Abdella, Chief Executive Officer of FSD Ethiopia, said financial sector transformation presents a critical opportunity to build more inclusive markets. 

“A financial system that does not fully include women is a system that is not operating at its full potential,” Hikmet said. She noted that expanding financial access must also address usage, trust, and relevance, adding that financial products should reflect the realities of women’s economic activities, including agriculture, microenterprise, and small and medium-sized businesses.

Discussions during the event highlighted structural constraints affecting women’s financial participation, including gaps in digital literacy, limited access to smartphones and digital identification, and financial products that do not adequately respond to women’s income patterns. 

Participants also noted the importance of sex-disaggregated data, improved product design, and regulatory frameworks that enable financial institutions and fintech providers to better serve women customers.

The event brought together actors from across the financial ecosystem, including regulators, financial service providers, development partners, and research institutions, to explore coordinated approaches that can strengthen women’s access to digital financial services and expand their participation in leadership and decision-making roles across the sector.

Sessions examined how digital finance, capital market development, and financial sector reforms can create opportunities to address gender gaps while strengthening the resilience and efficiency of financial markets.

FSD Ethiopia said the dialogue forms part of its ongoing work to facilitate collaboration among market actors and support systemic approaches that improve the accessibility, inclusiveness, and sustainability of Ethiopia’s financial sector.