Empowering Women through Microfinance
Susy Cheston, Senior Vice President, Policy and Research, Opportunity
International, and Executive Director Emeritus of the Women’s Opportunity Fund
Lisa Kuhn, Program Analyst, Opportunity International
Research sponsored by the Women’s Opportunity Fund
and its funding partners: Elizabeth Foster and Michael Walsh,
Gems of Hope USA, and the Morrow Charitable Trust
Publication sponsored by UNIFEM
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CONTENTS
Acronyms
1. Introduction............................................................................................4
2. Targeting Women..................................................................................6
3. What Do We Mean When We Talk about Empowerment?.............11
4. Why Should MFIs Care about Women’s Empowerment?………...13
5. Evidence of Empowerment…………………………………………...17
6. What Role Does Microfinance Play in Empowering Women?
A Case Study of Sinapi Aba Trust, Ghana…………………………….30
7. Lessons from Experience: Key Programmatic Factors That
Can Contribute to Empowerment……………………………………...39
8. Conclusions……………………………………………………………50
9. Call to Action………………………………………………………….51
Appendix: More Promising Practices………………………………….53
Bibliography…………………………………………………………….58
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ACRONYMS
ADAPTE
Asociación de Ayuda al Pequeño Trabajador y Empresario (Costa Rica)
ADEMCOL Asociación para el Desarrollo Empresarial Colombiano (Colombia)
ADOPEM
Asociación Dominicana para el Desarrollo de la Mujer (Dominican
Republic)
AGAPE
Asociación General para Asesorar Pequeñas Empresas (Colombia)
ARDCI
Agricultural and Rural Development for Catanduanes, Inc. (Philippines)
ASPIRE
Asociación para la Inversión y Empleo (Dominican Republic)
BRAC
Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee
CETZAM
Christian Enterprise Trust of Zambia
CGAP
Consultative Group to Assist the Poorest
CIDA
Canadian International Development Agency
CSD
Centre for Self-Help Development (Nepal)
CUES
Credit Union Empowerment and Strength