The National Bank of the Republic of North Macedonia published an interview with Governor Anita Angelovska-Bezoska highlighting that gender inequality in access to financial services remains material in North Macedonia despite recent improvements, and calling for further action to strengthen women’s financial inclusion. Drawing on World Bank research, the interview notes that the global gap in payment account ownership between men and women narrowed to 6 percentage points in 2021, but women are still more likely to hold inactive accounts and to have less access to financial services. For North Macedonia, the latest cited figures show that in 2021, 79.9% of women and 90.6% of men held a payment account, a 10.7 percentage point gap compared with an average of 3.2 percentage points for Europe and Central Asia. The governor linked stronger access to banking services, credit and savings to economic independence and broader participation in the economy, and pointed to changes in corporate policies, increased financial education efforts and greater representation of women in leadership roles as areas for action. The central bank indicated it will continue to support policies aimed at improving women’s financial inclusion as part of broader efforts toward sustainable and inclusive economic development.
National Bank of the Republic of North Macedonia2025-03-10
National Bank of the Republic of North Macedonia governor calls for measures to narrow the gender gap in access to payment accounts
The National Bank of the Republic of North Macedonia noted a 10.7 percentage point gap in payment account ownership between men and women in 2021, highlighting persistent gender inequality in financial service access. Governor Anita Angelovska-Bezoska stressed the need for better financial education, corporate policy changes, and more female leadership to boost women's financial inclusion. The central bank will support policies for sustainable and inclusive economic development.