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Financial education. Helping girls build better futures.

Education drives economic empowerment and social mobility. Our Financial Education Initiative aims to increase both the financial capability of girls and their awareness of their social and economic rights.

 

Financial Education for Girls

Financial Education aims to provide relevant and timely financial education to girls and young women at key points in their lives, as part of a program to support girls with the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes to tackle decisions along their life's journey, whether this is personal, professional or in continuing education.

"Access to financial and social assets is essential to helping youth make their own economic decisions and escape poverty."

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon

Responsible financial services include education and Financial education enables economic empowerment. As a global financial institution, we see first-hand how important financial skills are to enable people to actively participate in the economy and society. Many young people aged 14–25 in developing countries are already economically active but without any basic education in the key tenets of finance. They are therefore not only less likely to maximize the benefits from their economic activity, but also risk making decisions that may result in debt and further poverty over time and into adulthood.

Given that girls in developing countries still struggle to overcome many barriers to education compared to their male counterparts, focusing on financial education for girls in particular can mean transformed futures. Empowered girls can manage their own savings, spending, and make decisions about their future endeavours in life.

By increasing both the financial capability of girls as well as awareness of their social and economic rights, they can better fulfill their potential and take advantage of economic opportunities as they transition into adulthood. Furthermore, financial education for girls also mitigates their vulnerabilities such as sexual and domestic violence, school dropout, illiteracy, early marriage, and pregnancy.

 

Financial Education 2014 – 2021

1556
schools have benefited from our support
4133
teachers have been trained
146k
adolescent girls worldwide have benefited from financial education and life skills classes
 

Financial Education Initiative: Building on Success

In 2008 we launched the Global Education Initiative which targeted school-aged children in selected countries throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region. Between 2008-2014, the Initiative developed strong partnerships whose programs reached over 100,000 students in over 400 schools in 38 countries. More than 15,000 teachers were trained in subjects ranging from Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) and IT to child-friendly teaching methodologies. Based on this success, in 2014 Credit Suisse launched a Signature Program focusing on Financial Education for Girls.

The Financial Education for Girls program, previously known as the Global Education Initiative, aims to increase girls' financial capability and awareness of their social and economic rights, and to help girls build better futures for themselves.

The program is active in countries and locations where girls and young women are particularly disadvantaged because of their gender, socio-economic background and cultural environment and where there is a lack of funding and support. It is complemented by regional financial education initiatives supporting young people in the communities where we live who will benefit from improved financial education.

Learn more about the Financial Education for Girls program in the fact sheet (PDF).

As a global financial institution, Credit Suisse sees first-hand how important financial skills are to enable people to actively participate in the economy and society. Financial education enables economic empowerment; many young people aged 14–25 in developing countries are already economically active but without a basic education in the key tenets of finance. They are, therefore, not only less likely to maximize the benefits from their economic activity, but also risk making decisions that may result in debt and further poverty over time and into adulthood. Girls in developing countries, in particular, face many more barriers to education compared with their male counterparts. Financial education can therefore be transformative for girls.

The Financial Education for Girls program is currently implemented by Girl Rising in Ghana and Mexico, Plan International in China and Brazil, Room to Read in Tanzania and through Teach for All partner organizations – Teach for Cambodia, Teach for Colombia and Teach for Uganda. Aflatoun International is our technical expert, supporting the partners with curriculum contextualization and delivery methodology. The current program phase (2021-2024) aims are:

  1. Over 150,000 girls receive Financial Education through Life Skills programs;
  2. Girls demonstrate a measurable, positive change in knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors relating to financial literacy;
  3. Educators' capacity to deliver high-quality financial and life skills education is increased (Partners will report on numbers as well as qualitative information);
  4. Families, community members and local authorities champion FE & life skills for girls

Financial Education for Girls partners

  • Aflatoun International

  • Plan International

  • Room to Read

  • Teach for All

  • Girl Rising

Corporate Citizenship. Empowering People.

Together with our employees we work with selected partner organizations to help strengthen our society and to address social issues. Together, we strive to build a more inclusive future where all people can access the resources and develop the financial, entrepreneurial and other skills to thrive in the economy and society. As part of this commitment we set three focus themes: Financial Inclusion, Financial Education and Future Skills.

Focus Themes