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Gendered laws and Women’s financial inclusion

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  • Perrin, Caroline
  • Hyland, Marie

Abstract

This paper documents the relationship between legal gender equality and the use of financial services, using individual-level data from 148 developed and developing economies. The analysis, which combines data from the Global Findex and Women, Business and the Law databases, highlights the existence of a significant and positive correlation between gender equality in the law and women’s access to financial products. The results show that greater legal equality alleviates women’s involuntary financial exclusion. The findings also suggest that prevailing adverse social norms can nullify the beneficial effects of legal equality, and that better implementation of the law can facilitate a stronger relationship between legal frameworks and women’s financial inclusion.

Suggested Citation

  • Perrin, Caroline & Hyland, Marie, 2026. "Gendered laws and Women’s financial inclusion," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:199:y:2026:i:c:s0305750x25003201
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2025.107234
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    JEL classification:

    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance
    • G50 - Financial Economics - - Household Finance - - - General
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • K38 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Human Rights Law; Gender Law; Animal Rights Law

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