Rebekah J. Cross and Belinda Chaora - March 2022

The majority (71%) of the sample were micro enterprises using the classifications provided in the National Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Policy 2020-2024 and 26% were small enterprises. [...] Figure 3: Financial Inclusion Compared by Size of Enterprise (Micro vs Small) Source: SI-FINDEX 3 | P a g e SI-Findex Equality Measures Compared by Location Urban areas often are the hubs of entrepreneurial energy and activity but in the national strategy for financial inclusion, one of the target populations was the rural community because of the larger population size of Zimbabwe’s rural communi. [...] Midlands has the greatest difference with 55% of urban-based enterprises being included compared to 33% of rural-based enterprises in that province, and Mashonaland West has the smallest difference with 49% of urban enterprises included and 44% of rural enterprises being included in that province as shown in Figure 4 below. [...] Figure 4: Financial Inclusion of Rural-based compared to Urban-based Enterprises Source: SI-FINDEX 4 | P a g e SI-Findex Equality Measures Compared by Gender of Enterprise Owner The NFIS identified women as a vulnerable group and took steps to include them through initiatives like the establishment of the Women’s Bank in Zimbabwe1. [...] To increase the level of financial inclusion within a province, the financial sector needs to address the differences between the different criteria studied in this paper.