A New Gender Agenda for Microfinance?

This article deals with the impact of microfinance on women's empowerment. It states that few studies have revealed some of the negative impacts:

• Increased workloads for women;
• The withdrawal of male contributions to household expenditures;
• Domestic violence and abuse.

The article raises the following concerns:

• Is targeting women simply an efficient way to development?
• Is such targeting fully justified on the grounds of enhancing gender equity?

The article suggests some of the methods for the road ahead:

• A gender approach in program design is needed;
• There must be an emphasis on enabling MFIs to understand the complexity of gender relations;
• It is necessary to engage with MFIs in a debate and language that they understand;
• There is need for developing gender-sensitive products and services;
• Market research techniques involving in-depth discussions with clients are useful for emphasizing gendered needs.

Finally the article concludes that:

• It is necessary for MFIs to address gender issues;
• Failure to address issues affects MFIs' prospects for retaining and growing with their clients and developing a range of products to appeal to them;
• One means to advance the work is to develop and disseminate market research techniques exploring the gender dimensions of income, expenditure, saving, investment and business growth;
• Dissemination would involve training to ask the right questions and understand the gender implications of the answers.