Impact of Financial Inclusion on Household Welfare in Liberia: A Gendered Perspective

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Date
2022-03
Authors
Mulbah, Francis F.B.
Olumeh, Dennis E.
Mantey, Vida
Ipara, Billy Okemer
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Abstract
Financial inclusion is critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly zero poverty, gender equality, and reduced inequalities, but there is limited evidence of its impacts on household welfare in fragile and post-conflict countries. This study analyses the impact of financial inclusion on household welfare in Liberia using the Liberian Household Income and Expenditure Survey of 2016‒17. For the empirical analysis, we use an inverse probability-weighted regression adjustment model and separate analyses for male-headed households (MHHs) and female-headed households (FHHs) to identify possible gender differences. We find that the use of mobile money significantly increases household food security for MHHs and FHHs. In particular, the welfare impact is greater for MHHs in terms of food availability while in relation to food quality and dietary diversity, the impact is greater for FHHs. These findings show the need to scale up financial inclusion in fragile and post-conflict countries as a catalyst for improving household welfare
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Keywords
Financial inclusion; Mobile money; Fragile and post-conflict countries; gender; Impact; Welfare; Liberia
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