ABOUT BWTP
WHO WE ARE
BWTP was a diverse but like-minded group of public and private entities aligned by their mission to support inclusive growth and development across Asia. As a regional network, BWTP sought to enable opportunities for the poor to improve their quality of life through the promotion and facilitation of greater access to appropriate, affordable and sustainable financial products and services. Since its establishment in 1991, BWTP merged as Asia’s largest regional inclusive finance network.
WHAT WE DO
BWTP was a unique platform comprised of a variety of inclusive growth stakeholders across 17 Asian economies including some of the region’s most prominent financial inclusion practitioners and thought leaders. Working in close partnership with its members, BWTP’s work consisted of exploring, demonstrating and publicising the scope for increased access to and use of financial services for the poor on a sound commercial basis. This included conducting research and facilitating peer learning to improve practice and policy in the region.
MISSION
Members of BWTP shared a common and strong interest to:
- Improve the quality of life of the poor, disadvantaged and underserved through promoting and facilitating their access to, and use of, appropriate, affordable and sustainable financial services; and
- Respond positively to the growing diversity of organisations delivering financial products, services and technologies insofar as these are capable of achieving greater financial inclusion a sustainable basis.
OBJECTIVES
BWTP fulfilled its mission through knowledge creation and dissemination, information sharing, capacity building, and policy advocacy and dialogue, its specific objectives are to:
- Promote the financial inclusion of the poor in developing economies by improving their access to and use of financial services;
- Foster broader outreach, improve efficiency and greater sustainability of financial service providers in the Asia region;
- Evaluate institutional models, technologies and products, including savings and payments instruments, credit, insurance, pensions and other financial services, in terms of their conformity with appropriate best practice standards of financial service delivery and inclusiveness;
- Provide members with access to information that increases their knowledge of appropriate best practice in inclusive finance service provision, capacity‐building and technology advances;
- Research, demonstrate and advocate best practice through engagement with stakeholders to inform policy and practice across all sectors involved achieving inclusive growth and development; and
- Encourage diversity and avoid exclusive endorsement of, or advocacy for, any particular institution models, technologies or financial products.
Images courtesy of FDC, Asian Development Bank and United Nations Capital Development Fund photography collections.