New financial tool is launched for women in Ghana, and other news (31 January 2020)

Each week we highlight some of the international development stories from across the globe that have caught our attention:

• Access Bank Ghana has launched their new, innovative, product ‘Live B3ta’ which aims to provide women in rural and peri-urban areas access to financial services and encourage a change in attidude towards savings, micro-insurance, and credit as part of the Savings at the Frontier programme’s ‘W’ Initiative. The programme is jointly run by Oxford Policy Management and MasterCard Foundation. Read more in Ghana MMA.

• UNAIDS Technical Support has identified that removing human rights and gender barriers in Global Fund Grants is key to improving access to HIV services and eradicating AIDS, and to achieving the 2030 SDG goals. Despite this, a 2016-2017 study found there are insufficient programmes established to reduce human rights-related barriers. The UNAIDS Technical Support Mechanism, which is jointly managed by OPM and Genesis Analytics, provides short term support to over 100  countries to strengthen the sustainability of programmes. Read more in All Africa.  

• A new West Africa Trade and Investment Hub has been launched by USAID. The hub will provide $60 million in co-investment funds to increase private-sector investment to increase activity in export markets and promote increased jobs for women and youth. Read more in Channels Television (Nigeria).

• The Asian Development Bank will support urban development projects in seven Punjab cities though a $15 million loan to help design comprehensive investment and public service delivery plans. Project will particularly focus on incorporating climate resilient designs, and gender equality. Read more in Dunya News (Pakistan).