The Irving Fisher Committee on Central Bank Statistics (IFC) and AFI member institution Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) co-sponsored the financial inclusion indicators workshop in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 5-6 November 2012. This important event succeeded in bringing together representatives of IFC member institutions, international and regional organizations from the private and public sectors, as well as other specific experts on financial inclusion, to assist in the development and usage of financial indicators and in the identification of key issues anticipated to merit attention as statistical standards are developed in this field.

The workshop enabled participants to share their experiences and expertise in order to understand the existing data on financial inclusion, and how they raise awareness on critical aspects of interest with analysts and policymakers in developing and emerging nations.

Attendees discussed the development of composite indicators for financial inclusion and how the methodological capacity of central bank statistical functions can potentially contribute to this, as well as reviewed and conversed about key indicators that do or could help to define and measure financial inclusion from a user and compiler’s perspective.

Additionally, AFI Executive Director Alfred Hannig served as chair of a session that examined the differences in national practices to collect data on financial development, including financial inclusion.