How Can Financial Inclusion for the Most Vulnerable Help Achieve the SDGs?

Although financial inclusion has progressed, 1.3 billion people remain excluded from formal financial systems. Predominantly living in developing countries, women, rural populations, youth, low-income households, and informal workers are the most affected. This persistent exclusion is driven by a combination of structural factors: the limited economic attractiveness of these segments for service providers, sometimes restrictive regulatory frameworks, and discrimination; and, on the user side, high access costs and the lack of essential prerequisites. Yet, the financial inclusion of these so-called last-mile populations constitutes a strategic lever for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In particular, it can strengthen resilience to climate shocks, facilitate access to emergency assistance, and promote integration into the formal economy. To realize this potential, financial inclusion at the last mile must be approached holistically, by integrating its social and environmental dimensions. This also requires mobilizing all stakeholders—regulators, financial service providers, technology actors, and donors—and establishing coordinated action. The objective is to move beyond access alone toward user-centered models that emphasize quality of use, consumer protection, and measurable impacts on economic well-being.