Persistent gender disparities in financial inclusion in palestine after COVID-19 pandemic

This study examines the gender gap in financial inclusion (FI) in Palestine, both traditional and digital, in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using nationally administered surveys from 2016 and 2022, this study applies Oaxaca–Blinder and intertemporal decomposition techniques to analyse changes in gender-based disparities in financial literacy and access to financial services over time. Despite overall improvements in FI indicators, results reveal a persistently high and widening gender gap, except in private insurance, where the gap has narrowed. The pandemic’s socioeconomic fallout, compounded by intensifying Israeli restrictions and political instability, has exacerbated existing structural barriers, particularly affecting women’s economic participation. In a patriarchal context marked by limited employment opportunities and widespread uncertainty, women face compounded challenges and vulnerability. However, the findings also indicate that the gap narrows with age, among women-majority households, and with improved access to digital technology, highlighting the potential of targeted digital and economic empowerment policies to reduce gender-based FI disparities.