Financial access 2010 : the state of financial inclusion through the crisis
Abstract
Financial Access 2010 is the second in a series of annual reports by CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor) and the World Bank Group to monitor statistics for financial access around the world and to inform the policy debate. The series was launched in response to the increasing interest in financial inclusion among policy makers and the development community. Financial access 2010 aims to contribute to the efforts to measure financial access at the country level worldwide, to develop a consistent database, and to present the data in a coherent manner for future analyses. At the same time, the report recognizes that not all institutions that serve low-income and poor people report to the financial regulators. However, evaluation of specific policy interventions is beyond the scope of this report. The positive relationship between financial development and economic growth is well documented in the literature. In more recent years, the debate has expanded to include the notion of financial 'exclusion' as a barrier to economic development and the need for building inclusive financial systems.