Her Home - Housing Finance for Women
November 13, 2019
IFC conducted a market study of housing finance for women in three countries where cultural, institutional, and policy barriers to women’s access to housing finance have been identified, as have opportunities for financial institutions to tap this potential market. The three countries are Colombia (GDP per capita $14,999), India (GDP per capita $7,761), and Kenya (GDP per capita $3,461). The study’s conclusions include recommendations for lenders to develop tailored housing finance offerings for women customers. Also included are recommendations for policymakers to develop reforms geared to improve market conditions and ease women’s access to housing loans. The study includes interviews with 2,000 low- and middle-income households in these three countries. The purpose of the interviews was to assess the demand pattern for housing and housing finance. In addition, interviews with major financial institutions active in housing finance were carried out, as were meetings with government officials and policy stakeholders.
