SBP launches implementation of WE-Finance Code

January 17, 2026 (MLN): The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has formally launched the implementation of the Women Entrepreneurship Finance (WE-Finance) Code, a landmark initiative aimed at improving women entrepreneurs’ access to finance and strengthening their role in Pakistan’s economic growth.

Addressing the inaugural session of the WE-FI Code Consultative Workshop, Deputy Governor SBP Saleem Ullah said the central bank is focused on creating pathways that allow women entrepreneurs to participate fully in the economy. 

He reiterated SBP’s commitment to promoting women’s entrepreneurship and financial inclusion in line with its Strategic Plan 2028, according to a press release issued by SBP's External Communications Department.

He noted that despite improvements in access to financial services, deep-rooted structural barriers still restrict women-led businesses from obtaining formal credit.

In this backdrop, he described the WE-Finance Code adopted by SBP on July 7, 2025 as a practical and action-oriented framework to address these challenges.

As the lead implementing agency, SBP has brought together 23 financial institutions, including conventional, Islamic and microfinance banks, along with the Pakistan Banks Association (PBA), under the Code to collectively remove financing constraints faced by women-owned enterprises.

To kick off the Code’s implementation, SBP, in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), organized a two-day workshop in Islamabad. 

The event brought together signatory banks, regulators and development partners to develop a national action plan focused on gender-responsive product innovation, improved data collection and reporting, and stronger credit assessment mechanisms for women-led businesses.

The consultative workshop also enabled participating institutions to identify gaps in women’s access to finance and design forward-looking strategies. 

Key discussions covered market segmentation for women customers, women-focused portfolio development, enhanced lending products for women-led MSMEs, improved data frameworks, and stronger institutional commitment through the WE-Finance Code Charter.

Ahead of the workshop, senior officials from SBP and ADB held a roadshow with key stakeholders beyond the banking sector, including the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA). 

These engagements focused on policy coordination, inter-agency collaboration and expanding the national coalition supporting the WE-Finance Code.

Through these initiatives, SBP aims to steer Pakistan’s financial sector toward greater inclusion, ensuring that the WE-Finance Code translates into increased financing, stronger entrepreneurship and sustainable economic progress for women nationwide.

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