APRACA Executive Committee decided to set up the APRACA Center of Excellence (ACE) on Women Empowering at Bank Keshavarzi (Agricultural Bank) of Iran. ACE-Bank Keshavarzi (BK) will work on designation and implementation of programs, training courses, studies on women economic empowering for APRACA members, taking advantage of BK’s abundant experiences on the subject. The ACE will also offer expertise and technical services to the members of APRACA on women empowering through diverse financial activities.

Bank Keshavarzi (BK) has extensive experience offering diverse special services for women through three schemes including (i) Zeinab Kobra Scheme (support service for low income families especially for female headed households in rural areas), (ii) Iran Scheme (deposit and loan services to female population), and (iii) Fatima Scheme (financial support program for job creation, capacity building and welfare of the rural families).

Before the establishment of the new ACE, APRACA had only three ACEs including ACE-NABRAD on SHG Linkage Banking, ACE-Bank Rakyat Indonesia on Retail Banking, and ACE-Bank Indonesia on Islamic Banking.