The Impact Investment Exchange (IIX) has launched the Women’s Livelihood Bond™ 7 (WLB7) – a landmark financial instrument poised to transform the lives of more than 773,000 underserved women and girls across South and Southeast Asia.
As the latest and largest issuance to date in the award-winning WLB™ Series, WLB7 reflects a growing momentum in gender-lens investing, leveraging blended finance strategies to uplift communities while tackling systemic inequalities and climate challenges.
Supporting Women Entrepreneurs in the Global South
The proceeds of WLB7 will fund high-impact enterprises led by or serving women in India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka. These ventures operate across critical sectors including:
- Financial inclusion
- Water and sanitation
- Agriculture
- Clean energy
The bond’s deployment is expected to directly advance several UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
Strong Global Backing for Orange Bonds
WLB7 has drawn significant international support from both public and private sectors. Stakeholders include the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ford Foundation, International Finance Corporation (IFC), Government of Canada, Minderoo Foundation, Paul Ramsay Foundation, and major financial players like Nuveen, Impax, and ANZ Bank.
It is certified by Sustainable Fitch Limited and aligned with the Orange Bond Principles™, as well as the Green, Social, and Sustainability Bond Guidelines from the International Capital Market Association. WLB7 will also adhere to EU and UK Securitization regulations and is slated for listing on the Singapore Exchange (SGX).
Blended Finance for Inclusive Growth
A key feature of WLB7 is the Women’s Catalyst Fund (WCF) – a derisking mechanism that uses catalytic capital to attract private investment. According to IFC’s Katia Daude Gonçalves,
“Blended finance continues to be a powerful tool to address market shortcomings and mobilize investment for impactful projects in emerging and developing markets.”
Since its debut in 2017, the Women’s Livelihood Bond™ Series has mobilized over US$228 million across six previous bonds, positively impacting more than 2.6 million women and girls. IIX’s broader work spans 60 countries and has touched over 160 million lives, including avoiding 1.9 million metric tons of carbon emissions.
Join the Movement: Support Gender-Inclusive Finance
WLB7 continues to carry forward the mission of the Orange Movement™, IIX’s global call for a more equitable and sustainable world. To show your support, sign the Orange Pledge at: orangemovement.global/sign-the-pledge
