Background and ObjectiveNepal’s socio-economic development is shaped by persistent disparities in human development outcomes across caste; ethnicity; and gender. Women face significant barriers to economic participation. The country’s sex ratio stands at 95.59 males per 100 females; and between 2019/20 and 2021/22; approximately 10 percent of women sought employment abroad due to limited entrepreneurial opportunities at home.Micro; small; and medium enterprises (MSMEs) play a vital role in Nepal’s economy; yet 52 percent of women-owned small businesses struggle to access financing; and only 13.4 percent of women secure loans from formal financial institutions. Barriers include insufficient collateral; limited credit history; and inadequate financial literacy. Addressing these challenges requires gender-responsive decision-making across public policies; social initiatives; and private enterprises.The Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi; Annex 1) aims to address financial and non-financial barriers faced by women-led SMEs (WSMEs) by mobilizing resources to enhance access to finance; build capacity; and strengthen market linkages. Nepal has volunteered to endorse the We-Fi with the goal of closing the finance gaps facing WSMEs and driving a lasting shift in how women-led businesses are perceived; supported; and financed globally. A key component of this effort is the enhancement of sex-disaggregated data to identify disparities; inform targeted interventions; and align with the forthcoming National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS).In coordination with the Financial Inclusion and Consumer Protection Division (FICPD) of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) and the Nepal Bankers' Association (NBA); the World Bank aims to institutionalize gender-disaggregated data collection and analytics across agencies. The data will contribute to the World Bank’s We-Fi Annual Report (Annex 3); tracking progress globally and in Nepal against defined Key Performance Indicators (KPIs; see Annex 2); while showcasing innovations and identifying ongoing challenges.Scope of Work and DeliverablesThe World Bank seeks to engage a consulting firm with proven expertise in financial inclusion; data analytics; and regulatory frameworks to support NRB in enhancing sex-disaggregated financial data reporting. The selected firm will undertake the following tasks:•Assess and enhance data collection frameworks; identifying existing gaps and proposing additional indicators to support to robust sex-disaggregated reporting.•Provide technical advice that would enable NRB to capture sex-disaggregated data from Banks and Financial Institutions (BFIs).•Provide technical advisory services on Financial Inclusion Dashboards; delivering best practices to both the World Bank Group (WBG) and NRB. This includes assisting NRB to enhancing its dashboard for improved data collection; monitoring and reporting of sex-disaggregated indicators.•Conduct a gap analysis of NRB’s existing directives; reviewing policies relevant to sex-disaggregated data collection from and providing recommendations aligned with international best practices to improve gender-sensitive financial reporting.