Millions of people in Benin now have easier access to education, banking and essential services after a national identification programme helped make legal identity available to nearly the entire population.
Brazil has introduced a new rule requiring banks to screen farmers for illegal deforestation before approving loans, using finance as a powerful tool to protect the Amazon.
Mobile money accounts have experienced substantial growth worldwide, but mainly in Africa and Asia, allowing millions of people to perform simple financial services in regions with limited banking infrastructure.
