The National Commission of Banks and Insurance hosted the meetings of the Financial Inclusion Data (FIDWG) and SME Financing (SMEFWG) Working Groups of AFI

From April 22 to 25 of this year, more than 80 representatives from 68 central banks and financial regulators worldwide that are members of the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI), met in Roatan, Bay Island, Honduras, the Presiding Commissioner Eng. Marcio Sierra gave the welcoming remarks to the members of the SME Finance and SME Data Working Groups. Financial Inclusion (FID) and members of the AFI staff, highlighting that as Hondurans we are proud to have the first Female President, Xiomara Castro, since, with her mandate, in 2023, the first results of the implementation of policies with a gender focus were obtained, measured by the World Economic Forum in its “Global Gender Gap Report 2023”; highlighting the best position obtained by Honduras in the last decade, ranking 53rd out of 146 countries, meaning a jump of 29 places in the global ranking, denoting that Honduras is committed to an economic transformation, where the most vulnerable sectors can have more opportunities in the access and use of financial products and services,  especially young people, women and the MSME sector.

For his part, Dr. Eliki Boletawa, Director of Program and Policy Implementation at AFI, thanked President Sierra and the CNBS team for co-hosting the meetings and highlighted the progress that the CNBS continues to make on financial inclusion issues. indicating that since the CNBS joined AFI more than a decade ago, in 2013, the institution has been one of the most active members of the network in promoting financial inclusion; They have also assumed the commitments of the Mayan Declaration related to financial education, consumer protection, data, strategy and innovation of digital financial services. Furthermore, the Director highlighted that CNBS encapsulates the spirit of AFI, committed to working for inclusion and helping the most vulnerable, culminating in the fact that for AFI it is a privilege to have CNBS in its global family.

During the days of meetings, a synthesis of the evolution of the financial inclusion process in Honduras was presented, highlighting key findings from research that applies approaches to gender, age, income level and other relevant aspects. In addition, the Gender Inclusive Finance Policy Model (GIF Policy Model) was presented, which will be approved at this year’s Global Policy Forum (GPF), and individual meetings of each working group were held that focused on the identifying best practices in financial inclusion and exploring what is working around the world.

Participants from the members of the MSME Financing Group were provided with essential tools for the study of a reference framework of financial data on micro, small and medium-sized businesses owned by women, where a new template and regulation for collection was discussed. of financial inclusion data disaggregated by sex. Finally, the CNBS visited the chocolate company “The Roatan Chocolate Factory”, its owner is a Honduran who stands out with his sales in the zoos of New York, United States, making it possible for many women to receive income at through carrying out the entire chocolate process. To date, there have been 14 years of providing employment to more than 100 women who plant and collect cocoa in Mosquitía, Gracias a Dios, and later it is transferred to Roatán, Islas de la Bahía, where it is transformed into chocolates of different varieties. flavors, soaps, medicinal cocoa, and cocoa beans for sale to different local and international tourists.

About AFI

The Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) is the world’s leading organization for financial inclusion policy and regulation. The global alliance is made up of 83 member institutions, including central banks, finance ministries and other financial regulators from 75 developing and emerging economies. AFI works to empower policymakers to increase access and use of quality financial services for the underserved through the formulation, implementation and global promotion of sustainable and inclusive policies.