The Central Bank of Uruguay hosted the “Include to Grow” event, bringing together financial institutions, international organisations and public authorities to discuss how to expand women’s financial inclusion and reduce gender gaps in access to finance in Uruguay. In opening remarks, Vice President Ana Claudia de los Heros said broader financial inclusion is both an equity objective and an economic development issue, and linked the agenda to the central bank’s role as monetary authority and regulator of the financial and payments system. The event was aimed at financial sector decision-makers and presented concrete opportunities, available tools and possible lines of action for advancing gender-focused financial inclusion. Discussions highlighted that women lead about half of Uruguay’s micro, small and medium-sized enterprises but still have less access to formal finance than men despite stronger credit repayment performance. Participants also reviewed regional evidence on women-led MSMEs as a strategic segment for the financial system, tools for integrating gender perspectives into product design, data management and organisational processes, and UN Women’s Inclusive Financial Ecosystems approach based on disaggregated data, human-centred innovation and solutions tailored to women’s needs.
Central Bank of Uruguay2026-06-02
Central Bank of Uruguay hosts forum on expanding women's access to finance
The Central Bank of Uruguay hosted the “Include to Grow” event on expanding women’s financial inclusion and reducing gender gaps in access to finance, with Vice President Ana Claudia de los Heros linking this agenda to the bank’s monetary and regulatory roles. Participants noted that women lead about half of Uruguay’s micro, small and medium-sized enterprises yet face weaker access to formal finance than men, and reviewed tools to integrate gender perspectives into product design, data management and organisational processes, including UN Women’s Inclusive Financial Ecosystems approach.