Kashf Foundation’s Pioneering Gender Bond: A Catalyst for Gender Parity in Pakistan
A Focus Note on Kashf’s Financial Inclusion with a Purpose
What happens when the power of capital meets the potential of women micro-entrepreneurs? Kashf Foundation’s latest Focus Note explores just that. One year after launching South Asia’s first-ever Gender Bond, Kashf is sharing how this PKR 2.5 billion bond can be more than just a financial instrument; it can be a catalyst for change.
What’s Inside the Focus Note?
The Note provides a data-driven analysis of how, historically, Kashf has utilized its signature model of pairing capacity building with financial instruments to uplift thousands of women-led micro-businesses. It highlights how targeted investments have helped these enterprises navigate economic challenges, maintain profitability, and foster resilience.
The Gender bond is designed to facilitate this further by financing women-led micro businesses, supporting housing infrastructure for low-income women, and improving school facilities to increase access to quality education, particularly for girls.
Why Now?
Despite global momentum towards sustainable investments, gender-labelled financial products still make up only USD 17 billion of the USD 40 trillion sustainable investment universe. The latest Global Gender Gap Report ranks Pakistan 142nd out of 146 countries in gender parity, with a disheartening 34% gender wage gap and 75% of women living below the poverty line.
The Focus Note underscores the urgent need to channel investments into sustainable models that specifically target the informal sector. By focusing on micro-level initiatives, these targeted investments can drive meaningful, long-term change, creating sustainable impacts at the grassroots level.
The Road Ahead
Over the next three years, Kashf Foundation plans to:
- Expand support to one million women entrepreneurs
- Strengthen educational access through 3,000 school owners and 5,000 teacher trainings
- Launch climate-resilient financial products tailored to women-led households
By investing in gender-focused financial products, Kashf is not just closing gaps but also opening doors to sustainable, long-term change.
Read how the Gender Bond is creating lasting impact in the Focus Note.
