This training is specifically designed for the technical staff of the Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan for Regulation and Development of Financial Market (ARDFM), along with local stakeholders engaged in initiatives promoting the financial inclusion of PWDs in Kazakhstan.

This event marks AFI’s inaugural training on financial inclusion for PWDs, following the release of AFI’s knowledge product, in November 2024. This publication provides key insights and recommendations to enhance financial inclusion for PWDs, and we look forward to building on these foundations during the training.

The Agency currently has a policy document on financial inclusion of PWDs, but faces challenges in its implementation. Therefore, this in-country training is intended to share practical solutions that have proven effective in other parts of the world. The two-day training is aimed at equipping participants with the necessary tools to identify and implement practical policy initiatives that promote financial inclusion for PWDs. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the barriers that financial regulators face when implementing policies to support PWDs in accessing formal financial services. Additionally, the training will explore innovative approaches for developing financial inclusion policies for PWDs, which can be adapted to local contexts. The sessions will also include country-specific experiences from institutions such as Bangladesh Bank, Bank of Ghana, State Bank of Pakistan, Central Bank of Egypt, and Central Bank of Kenya. External experts, including Paul Surreaux from the Barrier-Free-Finance Initiative (BFFI), along with experts from Banca d’Italia, Sightsavers, and JUMO, will share their successful initiatives on topics such as creditworthiness assessments for PWDs and consumer protection strategies.