ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides practical case studies of financial inclusion, going beyond academic debates, predominantly on specific issues of microfinance. It looks at ways of pushing the frontier of financial inclusion through building inclusive systems that can empower the world’s poor and disadvantaged women and men – by increasing opportunities, securing livelihoods and reducing poverty. The book argues and shows that poor and disadvantaged women and men do not exist in isolation from complex and interdependent functions that are directly or indirectly linked to provision and usage of financial products and services. It explores the role of various stakeholders and provides examples for how they support financial service providers to manage social performance. The book argues that measurement is key to understanding financial inclusion and to identifying opportunities to remove the barriers that may be preventing people from using financial products and services.
