IFC invests in IIX’s Women’s Livelihood Bond™ 7 to fund high-impact women enterprises
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is investing in Impact Investment Exchange’s (IIX) Women’s Livelihood Bond™ 7 (WLB7) to fund high-impact women startups in South and Southeast Asia, marking a significant milestone in efforts to mobilize capital through blended finance to empower women and underserved communities in emerging markets and developing economies.
The bond is a part of a two-tranche issuance, according to a statement released by IFC on Monday. The first tranche is expected to close on July 30, 2025, and has a target of $60 million.
It is anticipated that WLB7 will be the largest bond in the WLB™ Series across both tranches.
In addition to $4.5 million in subordinated debt in the IIX Women’s Catalyst Fund, a de-risking facility that facilitates women’s access to capital markets, IFC is making its first investment of $10 million in this bond series.
In collaboration with the Government of Canada, the subordinated debt will be invested through the Advancing Gender Equality, Resilience, Opportunity and Inclusion Worldwide (GROW) facility.
The bond’s proceeds, once deployed, are anticipated to support high-impact businesses that span topics like financial inclusion, clean energy, water and sanitation, and agriculture and are owned and run by marginalized women and communities in India, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka.
In addition to being certified by Sustainable Fitch Limited as adhering to the International Capital Market Association’s Green Bond Principles, Social Bond Principles, and Sustainability Bond Guidelines, WLB7 will be listed on the Singapore Exchange.
Additionally, it will adhere to the securitization laws of the UK and the EU.
“Blended finance continues to be a powerful tool to address market shortcomings and mobilize investment for impactful projects in emerging and developing markets,
“We are delighted to partner with Impact Investment Exchange on the Women’s Livelihood Bond, which aims to support women entrepreneurs and community enterprises to transition to sustainable livelihoods and benefit from improved quality of life，” said Katia Daude Gonçalves, Country Manager for Singapore and Brunei at IFC.
Building on the momentum of the first six Women’s Livelihood BondsTM and the global rise of the Orange BondTM movement, Prof. Durreen Shahnaz, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of IIX, stated that WLB7 brings the capital market one step closer to a place where gender equity is the rule rather than the exception.
“By partnering with IFC and other trail-blazing allies, we are scaling this proven model across South and Southeast Asia and seeding the systemic shifts that will redefine finance in the Global South,
“With WLB 7 we expect to reach more than 773,000 underserved women, giving them the tools—and the capital—to shape a more inclusive and sustainable future for their families, their economies, and our planet,” she added.
