ISLAMABAD, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved 155.5 million U.S. dollars in financing for Pakistan that will support policy reforms enhancing women's access to finance and provide credit to women-led micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, the ADB said Monday.
The financing comprises a 100-million-dollar policy-based loan that supports legal and regulatory reforms to help women better access finance, the Manila-based lender said in a statement.
Moreover, a 50-million-dollar financial intermediation loan will enable participating financial institutions to lend to women entrepreneurs and a 5.5-million-dollar grant will finance related activities, it added.
The ADB further added that a policy-based loan supports reforms that incorporate women's needs into national policies.
It supports measures enabling women's access to credit and credit alternatives through digital channels, providing financial training and advisory services to women, and improving the working conditions of women within the finance sector, the statement added.
"The financial intermediation loan, meanwhile, is expected to benefit around 2 million women entrepreneurs, including about 510,000 who previously had no access to finance, through lending via participating financial institutions," according to the ADB. ■
