gender empowerment & access to financial services in machakos county, eastern kenya
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Gender Empowerment & Access to Financial Services in Machakos County, Eastern Kenya. Prof. Simiyu Wandibba; Stevie Nangendo, PhD University of Nairobi, Kenya Benson A. Mulemi, PhD Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Kenya Presentation for the IMTFI’s Fourth Annual Conference - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Prof. Simiyu Wandibba; Stevie Nangendo, PhDUniversity of Nairobi, Kenya
Benson A. Mulemi, PhDCatholic University of Eastern Africa, Kenya
Presentation for the IMTFI’s Fourth Annual ConferenceUniversity of California, Irvine, Dec 5-7, 2012
OutlineIntroductionStatement of the ProblemResearch questionsStudy objectivesMethodology: site & populationSampling & Data collectionPreliminary results: MMT/Banking access & coverage; Gender utilization
barriers &patterns; MMT/M-Banking & Gender Empowerment; Access and perceived benefits; Consequences for gender relations.
Conclusion
Introduction•Interest about access to financial services among the poor in marginal areas of low-income countries is increasing.
•Mobile money transfer
(MMT)services have the potential
to increase financial inclusion in
Kenya.
•Competing providers: Safaricom
Ltd (M-Pesa), Airtel Kenya Ltd.
(Airtel money), Essar Telekom
Kenya Ltd.(yuCash), Orange
Kenya Ltd. (Orange money),
PesaPoint, Tangaza & Mobikash
partner with local Banks.
Statement of the Problem New financial service
technologies embody gender differences & are socio-cultural constructs like gender empowerment.
There are few studies on interlinkages between gender empowerment & financial inclusion in the banking institutions and MMTS in Kenya as in other low income countries.
Research Questions What business strategies do mobile financial
platforms in the study region use?
How do MMT remittance & payment flows differ along gender lines in the study area?
What barriers do each gender face when using mobile money systems?
What m-banking/m-payment behaviors do men and women exhibit?
How do MMT services affect gender relations in the study region?
Study objectivesTo analyze the business strategies of the
mobile financial platforms in the study region.
To track remittance and payment flows along gender lines in the MMT systems.
To determine the barriers that each gender faces when using mobile money services.
To analyze the differences in MMT service use behaviors among men &women.
To determine how MMT services affect gender relations in the study region.
Methodology: site & population
The research is being conducted in Machakos County in eastern Kenya.
Three administrative divisions covered: Kinanie/Mathatani, Kangundo & Matungulu.
Study population: men & woman 18 years of age & above; representatives of mobile money transfer systems/platforms.
Study site
Study site-2
Sampling & Data collectionPurposive sampling: mobile phone owners/ MMT
service users.
Targets 450 (75 male & 75 female) MMT users in 3 administrative divisions.
Instruments: interview guide/questionnaire
255 respondents interviewed to date.
6 focus group discussions to be held; 2 in each administrative division.
In-depth interviews with 3 key informants in each division to be conducted.
Preliminary Results: MMT/Banking access & Coverage
Concentrated in relatively high population density areas: townships, & shopping centers.
A majority of the respondents own mobile phones and have ever used MMT services; for 2-10 years.
Country-wide dominance of Safaricom ltd.(M-Pesa) replicated.
MMT in micro-entrepreneurship; small business loans transactions, domestic maintenance, payment of school fees & various bills
Gender utilization barriers & patterns
Network delays, shortage of ‘float’
and fear of fraud or conmanship.
Lack of handsets, user registration &
identification document
inconvenience.
Women receive money more than
men for small-scale business, family
maintenance.
Women most recipients of MMT as
support from spouses, sons &
relatives away in towns.
Access & perceived benefits Convenient, affordable,
accessible, instant way of accessing financial resources.
Convenient alternatives to banks and other financial transaction modes.
Fees charged on MMT transactions lower relative to bank charges.
Reduced waiting time relative to bank and other counter queues.
Figure 1: % Subscription market Share per operator
Source: CCK, Operators’ Returns . 2012
MMT, M-Banking & Gender Empowerment
MMT part of ‘economy of affection’
& social capital among spouses; and
in courtship relationships.
Boost household livelihood by
supporting women’s businesses.
MMT pay for merchandise obtained
on credit.
MMT/M-banking contribute to
Women’s basic financial and social
empowerment.
Facilitate women’s access to cash
for family needs.
Consequences for Gender relationsNegative: Role conflicts, strain & abdication,
especially among men.
Suspicion and mistrust about real family income, misuse, and sources of remittances.
Positive: Strengthen kin & non-kin bonds
through ready support for social & cultural events: e.g. funerals, parties & fundraising.
Improve family relations as women’s role in livelihood security efforts and financial participation increase.
Conclusion Competing MMT & M-Banking
platforms in Kenya coincide with growing interest in financial inclusion of the poor.
This trend has the potential to enhance
livelihood, but it is necessary to analyze
and evaluate the implications of gender
financial empowerment on the social
lives of the targeted poor people.
The relevance of mobile financial
platforms’ business strategies to
sustainable financial inclusion and
social development is essential.