Financial Inclusion Department

Research shows that financial inclusion plays a vital role in achieving macroeconomic policy goals such as inclusive economic growth, poverty reduction, reducing income inequality and improving welfare in a country. Considering the importance of financial inclusion and the recommendations of the international organizations such as the World Bank and the IMF, Da Afghanistan Bank established a dedicated department within DAB in June 2016 to improve and enhance financial inclusion across the country.

Vision

The vision of FID is to provide convenient, secure, proper, affordable and sustainable access to a range of quality formal financial services for the Afghan citizens, especially the low-income, vulnerable and deprived segments of the society. Such financial services include but are not limited to transaction account, saving account, pension account, insurance, credit and proper payment instruments.

Objective

FID follows the following intermediate and ultimate objectives within its scope of work:

Intermediate objectives

• Increasing access to formal financial services especially for the poor and low-income segments of the society. 
• Protecting financial consumer’s right.
• Improving financial literacy and financial capability of the Afghan citizens.
• Establishing a robust and dynamic environment for inclusive economic growth.
• Promoting and strengthening of the cultural of using formal financial services.

Ultimate objectives

• Reducing extreme poverty
• Reducing income inequality
• Enhancing public welfare

Duties and Responsibilities

FID’s mandates are as follow:

• Conducting financial sector diagnostic researches to indentify challenges and obstacles facing financial inclusion in the country
• Providing policy recommendations for increasing public access to financial services in the country.
• To establish regulatory frameworks for Traditional banking, agent banking, SMEs finance, Agriculture finance, Digital finance, Woman finance, leasing and mortgage financing.
• Collect and analyze financial data from commercial banks and provide policy recommendation.
• Promoting financial literacy and public awareness.
• Establishing an effective monitoring system to supervise the implementation of the NFIS
• Evaluating the effects of NFIS implementation on desired objectives
• Formulating laws and regulations on financial inclusion consumer protection
• Conducting  training programs, workshops and public awareness campaigns on financial inclusion relevant issues

Organizational Structure

Currently, FID has 11 technical staff including a director general and two deputy directors general. The department has three sections as follow:

1.    Traditional and Agent Banking

• This section is responsible to review and analyze the fees that DAB charges on commercial banks and identify areas where such charges could be revised to increase financial inclusion. This section aims to identify legal and regulatory hurdles that are limiting financial inclusion in the country and provides policy recommendations and efficient modification and justifications for the purpose of establishing a dynamic and enabling legal framework which can be supportive for increasing financial inclusion in the country.
• This section will encourage agent banking by banks in the country.

1.1. Financial Consumer Protection Section:

• Protection of customer’s right in financial sector;
• Attraction of peoples trust toward financial institutions of country;
• Provide proportionate information (costs, benefits and risks) on financial products and services to clients;
• Ensure transparency in supply of financial products and services;
• Protect confidentiality of clients information;
• Proper treatment of clients and responsible business conduct;
• Fair competition and innovation in providing financial products and services;
• Improve the quality of financial products and services;
• Addressing clients complaints and resolving their financial disputes;

2. SME (Small and Micro Enterprise) and Agriculture Finance Section:

• To facilitate monetary support for SMEs and Agriculture Sector.
• To enhance support for women SMEs.
• To provide immediate SME and agriculture finance support as well as lay the foundation for longer-term institutional support structures for SMEs and agriculture finance.

3. Innovative Finance Section:

• This section is responsible for formulating policy and procedures for the development of lease finance and mortgage finance, working with different stakeholders on initiatives to increase women’s access to finance in rural and urban areas, work with EMIs and PIs to create and expand the agent’s network around the country, working with stakeholders on increasing access points through expansion of POS and ATMs.