In recent years, along with the growing recognition of the rural gender gap in financial access as a key constraint to rural development, research has focused increasingly more towards analysing in depth the financial habits and patterns followed by women in rural areas, in order to produce observations and insights that could foster a more gender-sensitive policy approach towards financial inclusion. 

In line with this trend, this paper sets to explore the financial habits and constraints of rural women in two Sub-Saharan African countries (Mozambique, Tanzania), both at country and village level, with the objective of answering how, and why, they differ from those of their male counterparts. Building on the results achieved through this analysis, as well as on the general literature available on the topic, this paper aims to develop a range of general recommendations that can assist both local policymakers and other public stakeholders, as well as formal financial service providers, in shaping their approach towards a more gender-sensitive provision of rural financial services.