Her Home : Housing Finance for Women

Lack of appropriate financial means to obtain adequate housing is a wide economic problem in the developing world. In addition to supply and demand issues, macroeconomic instability, insufficient regulatory framework, and limited capital market development affect the availability of adequate housing finance. Women are relatively disadvantaged in accessing property and quality housing due to socioeconomic and cultural practices, as well as less favorable gender policies and regulations. The study on which this report is based examines the housing finance market for women and provides guidance on specific barriers to women’s access to housing finance, the market size that women borrowers might present to the industry, and the possible need for specific gender-related housing finance products and services (e.g. mortgage, home improvement loans, incremental construction loans, financial literacy training etc.). These issues are explored in the specific contexts of Colombia, India, and Kenya.