| Abstract: |
The overarching question tackled in this paper is: to what degree has
financial development contributed to providing opportunities of human
development for those on low-incomes and by what information technology
mechanisms? We systematically review about 180 recently published papers to
provide recent information technology advances in finance for inclusive
development. Retained financial innovations are structured along three themes.
They are: (i) the rural-urban divide, (ii) women empowerment and (iii) human
capital in terms of skills and training. The financial instruments are
articulated with case studies, innovations and investment strategies with
particular emphasis, inter alia on: informal finance, microfinance, mobile
banking, crowdfunding, microinsurance, Islamic finance, remittances, Payment
for Environmental Services (PES) and the Diaspora Investment in Agriculture
(DIA) initiative. |