A programme to raise women’s financial literacy by the Department of Japanese Studies has won an award from the Investor and Financial Education Council.

The Women’s Empowerment through Financial Literacy Programme, which won the Investor and Financial Education Award in the category of public and professional bodies and NGOs, was born out of Professor Lynne Nakano’s research on single women in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Tokyo. Her findings revealed that many single women were ill-prepared to manage their finances, often entering middle age with insufficient savings and insecure housing. To address this issue, the programme led by Professor Nakano (above, right) provides comprehensive training in personal finance, aiming to bridge the gender gap in financial literacy. Professor Nakano and her team, including Dr Fu Liping (left), received award at the ceremony on 6 March.

Since its inception in 2022, the financial literacy programme, with financial support from the Faculty of Arts and the Department of Japanese Studies, has conducted 18 rounds of training and activities, benefiting 525 women in Hong Kong, including migrant domestic workers and ethnic minority students.

The curriculum has empowered participants with essential knowledge and skills in budgeting, savings, asset monitoring, and long-term financial planning. The impact of the programme is evident through measurable improvements in participants’ financial behaviours, as assessed by indicators developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

The programme is set to expand its reach to Japan in June 2025, offering training to women in Osaka in collaboration with the Osaka YWCA.