Constructing a Shared Useful resource for the Sector

Creator: Sam Mendelson, e-MFP GLI Motion Group Lead.

Over the previous decade, gender lens investing (GLI) has turn into a extensively embraced idea throughout the event finance ecosystem. It has turn into embedded in international frameworks, supported by donor initiatives, and superior by means of essential coalitions and requirements – from the 2X Standards and Equilo’s diagnostics instruments to the Girls’s Empowerment Rules, Professional Mujer’s Gender Data Lab, and the Cerise+SPTF SPI5 Full framework. But for lots of the monetary service suppliers (FSPs), buyers, and technical help organisations working in inclusive finance (significantly on the area stage) GLI stays a conceptually resonant however virtually elusive purpose: what’s it for, how is it achieved, and what’s there to assist clarify it?

In early 2025, after in depth consultations with members of the e-MFP GLI Motion Group (GLI AG), the e-MFP Secretariat made the choice to amend the AG’s construction and plans. Below this new section, e-MFP is main a two-year, tightly scoped plan of actions (2025–2026) aimed toward filling two of probably the most urgent and actionable gaps in GLI practice: 1. The absence of a curated, user-friendly, filterable useful resource portal tailor-made to totally different stakeholder teams; and a couple of. The shortage of visibility and peer sharing round how GLI is definitely being carried out in apply.

To develop the useful resource portal, which we’ve got heard from members and stakeholders could be so helpful, we’re additionally thrilled to welcome the consultants who shall be main the primary a part of this work: Katie Tavenner and Carlos Quiros of QLands, who shall be supported throughout the mapping and engagement section by Jenny Morgan, a particularly skilled gender finance guide and facilitator (and former co-lead of FinEquity). The consultants, and Fernando Naranjo and I from e-MFP, are grateful to be supported by a incredible seven-person Advisory Committee of Motion Group  members.

Members advised us they didn’t need one other generic library of instruments. They wished one thing good and annotated with clear value-add: a portal that’s filterable by stakeholder sort (whether or not you’re an FSP, an investor, a market builder, or a TA supplier); that helps which instruments to make use of at what stage; that offers you real-world examples of how others have utilized a gender lens – and what it meant in apply. We want to transfer from info overload to curated steering.

As I launched above, the centrepiece of the GLI AG’s 2025 workplan is the GLI Useful resource Portal – a web-based, filterable, evolving platform that enables stakeholders throughout the inclusive finance ecosystem to:

• Establish related instruments tailor-made to their function, wants, and stage of expertise;

• Study from real-world case research of how others have utilized GLI rules in apply;

• Entry curated/annotated steering supplies (not simply each software ever created); and

• Keep knowledgeable about upcoming occasions, webinars, and peer-learning alternatives

The portal will construct on and hook up with present platforms or websites – amongst them 2X, FinEquity’s useful resource information, the Professional Mujer Gender Data Lab’s Gender Platform, CERISE+SPTF’s personal GLI Working Group  – and lots of others. We would like it to turn into a trusted one-stop-shop for busy practitioners seeking to get oriented, go deeper, or implement one thing new.

The second core exercise is a light-weight content material stream to showcase what GLI appears like in apply—warts and all. By quick blogs, mini case research, and occasional webinars, AG members may have the chance to share their experiences: how they’ve navigated management buy-in, used (or tailored) diagnostics instruments, built-in sex-disaggregated knowledge, or designed merchandise with gender in thoughts.

There’s a clear urge for food for this type of content material. Members have advised us they wish to hear from their friends and companions. They wish to perceive not simply why GLI is essential, however how it’s carried out, measured, refined.  They usually wish to know what GLI appears like for establishments like theirs – working with restricted budgets, various shopper teams, and underneath actual operational constraints.

This content material shall be printed partially right here on the e-MFP weblog, however we’ll welcome and solicit case research, interviews and different content material that’s core to this AG’s goal. All contributions shall be voluntary, and members can both suggest content material themselves or reply to direct outreach. 

The mapping and useful resource tagging course of has now begun, prematurely of a gathering with the Advisory Committee in September to current some preliminary concepts and collect suggestions. There shall be a GLI AG session throughout e-MFP’s annual occasion in November the place it’s anticipated an early mock-up of the Portal shall be offered, and the consultants and sure AG members shall be obtainable to share progress and reply questions. It’s hoped that the Portal shall be learn for beta testing in late Q1 2026, and for ultimate completion and launch in Q2. After this, the portal will profit from common devoted upkeep and monitoring to make sure it stays up to date and helpful.

In case you are a member of e-MFP or concerned in GLI work (nonetheless superior or exploratory) we welcome your enter. The design and refinement of this Portal shall be collaborative, and we hope to learn from e-MFP’s nice community to optimise its worth.

• Do you might have a software, diagnostic useful resource, or guidelines that your crew finds helpful? Be at liberty to share it for potential inclusion within the portal.

• Have you ever carried out a gender-smart intervention – whether or not efficiently or not? Please think about writing a brief weblog or case notice to assist others study.

• Are you keen to contribute financially to assist the portal in 2026?We’re open to co-funding alternatives in change for branding visibility and thought management roles.

Due to everybody who has been concerned in getting this course of to the place it’s, and please get in contact when you have concepts or questions.

Sam Mendelson is Monetary Inclusion Specialist at e-MFP and is the e-MFP lead for the Gender Lens Investing and WASH Motion Teams.