by Megan McGowan -

MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: “Global Financial Development Report 2014,” Published by the World Bank

“Global Financial Development Report 2014,” published by The World Bank, January 2014, 225 pages, available at http://econ.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/EXTDEC/EXTGLOBALFINREPORT/0,,menuPK:8816192~pagePK:64168176~piPK:64168140~theSitePK:8816097,00.html

This report draws on research and analysis of the global financial services market to address the needs of low-income people that do not have access to financial services and recommends policies that the authors believe would increase financial inclusion.

by the MicroCapital Team -

MICROFINANCE PUBLICATION ROUND-UP: ANDE 2012 Impact Report; Microfinance Performance Evaluation; Status of Microfinance in Karnataka, India

“ANDE 2012 Impact Report”; The Aspen Institute; 2013; 39 pages; available at http://www.aspeninstitute.org/publications/ande-2012-impact-report

This document covers aspects of small and growing businesses including the barriers women business owners face in the marketplace.

by Nisha Koul -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: International Monetary Fund (IMF) Releases 2013 Financial Access Survey

The US-based International Monetary Fund, a United Nations institution aiming to foster global cooperation on monetary issues, recently announced the results of its fourth annual Financial Access Survey (FAS), which provides global supply-side data on financial inclusion [1].

by Adrija Vaiciulionis -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: MasterCard, South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) Distribute 10m Biometrically Secured Debit Cards to Social Grant Beneficiaries

MasterCard Incorporated, a US-based global payments and technology company, and the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), a government-funded organization that distributes social grant funds, have distributed 10 million active MasterCard debit cards to individual beneficiaries in South Africa, replacing cash payments.

by Makai McClintock -

MICROFINANCE PUBLICATION ROUND-UP: Financing Africa, Social Performance Indicators for Microinsurance, Segmentation of Agricultural Households

“Financing Africa Through the Crisis and Beyond;” by Thorsten Beck, Samuel Munzele Maimbo, Issa Faye and Thouraya Triki; published by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), World Bank Group, African Development Bank; 2013; 322 pages; available at: http://www.afdb.org/fileadmin/uploads/afdb/Documents/Publications/Financing%20Africa%20Through%20the%20Crisis%20and%20Beyond.pdf

This book presents a review of trends in Africa’s financial sector in the context of Africa’s past economic development trends and broader historical background.

by Makai McClintock -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Nine Indian Impact Investment Companies Forming “Indian Impact Investor Council”

Nine companies that specialize in impact investment reportedly will be establishing the “Indian Impact Investor Council” (IIIC) to establish guidelines helping investment companies in India regulate their efforts to meet social goals.

by Samuel Allmendinger -

MICROFINANCE PUBLICATION ROUND-UP: Remittances to Latin America and the Caribbean, Savings Groups Leading to Advocacy, Microinsurance in the Philippines

“Remittances to Latin America and the Caribbean in 2012: Differing Behavior Across Subregions;” by Maria Luisa Hayem; published by the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF); 2013; 27 pages; available at http://www5.iadb.org/mif/HOME/Knowledge/tabid/426/idPublication/78709/language/en-US/Default.aspx

This report from the US-based Multilateral Investment Fund provides an analysis of remittances received across national borders by people in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).

by Lena Phillips -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: G20’s Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion Publishes Data on 192 Countries

The Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI), which is mandated to carry out the financial inclusion action plan endorsed at the 2010 summit of the Group of 20 (G20) large economies, has released a set of “basic” financial inclusion indicators populated with data from 192 countries.

by Brian LeBlanc -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Applications Open for Indian “Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2013”

The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, a Switzerland-based nonprofit, and the Jubilant Bhartia Foundation, an Indian nonprofit, have announced that they are now accepting applications for the 2013 Indian “Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award.”

by Samuel Allmendinger -

MICROFINANCE PUBLICATION ROUND-UP: Social Performance in Nepal, Sharia-Compliant Financial Inclusion, Private Sector Employment

“State of Social Performance in Nepal;” by Mike Krell; published by Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX); March 2013; 10 pages; available at http://www.themix.org/publications/mix-microfinance-world/2013/03/Nepal-development-2013

This report from the US-based nonprofit Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) examines the social performance (SP) of microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Nepal.

by Makai McClintock -

MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: “Microinsurance in Ghana: Microinsurance as a Means of Insurance Sector Development;” by Jan Meissner; published by the National Insurance Commission (NIC), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)

By Jan Meissner; published by Ghana’s National Insurance Commission (NIC) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ); 2013; 243 pages; available at: http://www.microfinancegateway.org/gm/document-1.9.61118/Promoting%20Microinsurance%20in%20Ghana_Full%20Book.pdf

This book analyzes potential ways to enhance the development of the microinsurance sector in Ghana, providing an overview of inclusive financial market development in the country as well as a series of recommended best practices for microinsurance development.

by Samuel Allmendinger -

MICROFINANCE PUBLICATION ROUND-UP: Poverty Scorecard for Nicaragua, Financial Inclusion in Russia, Health Microinsurance in India

“A Simple Poverty Scorecard for Nicaragua;” by Mark Schreiner; January 2013; 189 pages; available at http://www.microfinance.com/English/Papers/Scoring_Poverty_Nicaragua_2009_EN.pdf

This document introduces an “easy-to-use” poverty scorecard based on household expenditure data from Nicaragua’s 2009 Living Standards Measurement Survey.

by Samuel Allmendinger -

MICROFINANCE PUBLICATION ROUND-UP: Curbing Debt Stress, Social Performance in Mexico, UN Human Development Report: The Rise of the South

“Regulatory Options to Curb Debt Stress;” by Gabriel Davel; published by CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor); March 2013; 29 pages; available at: http://www.cgap.org/publications/regulatory-options-curb-debt-stress

This report highlights how the dynamics of credit markets can lead to cycles of credit growth and accumulation of consumer debt followed by widespread default and contraction.

by Nicole Boyd -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Opportunity International Hires Temenos to Customize its Insight Software to Document Social Impact

Opportunity International, a US-based nonprofit that focuses on microfinance in emerging markets, has recently agreed to license Insight, a business analytics product developed by Temenos, a software company based in Switzerland. The organization will hire Temenos to customize the software to produce reports that measure the social impact of lending on borrowers and their communities.

by Nicole Boyd -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Itau Unibanco of Brazil Commits $167m to Microloans for Urban Entrepreneurs in Concert with Business Call to Action, UN Millennium Development Goals

Brazilian bank Itau Unibanco recently joined the Business Call to Action (BCtA), a multi-organization initiative that seeks to reduce poverty through the private sector in support of the United Nations Millenium Development Goals (MDGs).