Ms El-Zoghbi and Ms Michaels explore the role of digital platforms in supporting financial inclusion and livelihoods. Their background research indicates that such platforms have transformed some economies significantly by (1) helping businesses recover from the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic; and (2) providing employment opportunities for disadvantaged populations such as youth, women and rural residents. In particular, e-commerce, gig working, social media and agricultural platforms have been found to improve the livelihoods of low-income consumers as well as increase the strength of micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises. The
