Promoting gender-sensitive entrepreneurship via microfinance institutions

Una Murray FAO, March 8th 2005

Una Murray: gender & dev consultant

Gender sensitivity in MFIs

consider…

Gender sensitivity in MFIs

consider…

Whether programmes, policies and services are

appropriate

Gender issues in the actual

organisational structure

Una Murray: gender & dev consultant

HIV/AIDS and MFIsconsider…

HIV/AIDS and MFIsconsider…

Whether programmes, policies and service are

appropriate in HIV/AIDS

prevalent areas

HIV/AIDS within the workplace & policies for dealing with

HIV/AIDS

Una Murray: gender & dev consultant

Gender sensitive

what does it mean?

Puts the onus on the MFI itself

How diff. affect entrepreneurial activities

Relative business conditions of wo/men

A focus also on women “catching up”

Acknowledge gender based diff. E.g. home based, family labour, start smaller, network, lacking different skills

Una Murray: gender & dev consultant

Promoting gender sensitive entrepreneurshipThe approach must suit culture – e.g.

Buddhist philosophy, Islamic banking principles

Remember women clients not all the same- different needs for different categories of women e.g Philippines

Aim to ensure needs, constraints & concerns are addressed in service delivery -listening skills

Working in HIV area – which products?Still should be a strong emphasis on

women’s access to services

Una Murray: gender & dev consultant

Build confidence to diversify products, study tours

Strength groups, networks, negotiation, quality control, discussing business ideas, registration….

Involve in decision making processes in MFI – quotas? rotating committee members of MFI?

Which skills are required for committee members? book-keeping, time saving

Evening sessions more suitable for women? Or men?

Promoting gender sensitive entrepreneurship

Una Murray: gender & dev consultant

Monitoring progress

E.g. balanced score card women’s involvement 1 of 10 KPIs

Una Murray: gender & dev consultant

– Commitment of MFI leadership is key– Attitude + mentality shift – how do staff

view typical client (e.g. APB Lao & mini-hatcheries)

– Observe gender differences– Short gender sensitisation sessions effective – Sensitising sessions on HIV (DAI)– Stress improvements in service delivery

when staff are gender aware.

Mainstreaming genderwithout a paddle!

Sensitivity of MFI staffSensitivity of MFI staff

Una Murray: gender & dev consultant

Simple gender(or HIV) policy statement

Link with national commitmentsWhat MFI aims to achieve and whyStrategies to implement policy

– Sex disagg data + analysis– Representation of women– Emphasis on non-traditional business

ideas– Provide linkages to BDS

Clear outputs e.g.– Increasing satisfaction with service

provision by both women & men– Improved ratios of staff in mgt

Link with national commitmentsWhat MFI aims to achieve and whyStrategies to implement policy

– Sex disagg data + analysis– Representation of women– Emphasis on non-traditional business

ideas– Provide linkages to BDS

Clear outputs e.g.– Increasing satisfaction with service

provision by both women & men– Improved ratios of staff in mgt

Una Murray: gender & dev consultant

Gender sensitive language in communications

Powerful tool for describing realityCommunicates..to all involved

down the line– ‘neutral terms’ youth, end users,

farmer.. “& women” at end of list?Regular updates, bulletins, short

case studies sent out to staffClearly identify in publications as

a gender/HIV sensitive institution

Powerful tool for describing realityCommunicates..to all involved

down the line– ‘neutral terms’ youth, end users,

farmer.. “& women” at end of list?Regular updates, bulletins, short

case studies sent out to staffClearly identify in publications as

a gender/HIV sensitive institution

Una Murray: gender & dev consultant

Acknowledge difficulty MF officers face to reach targets & also work on other social issues

Clear job descriptions are required, specify gender analysis skills required, link to performance appraisal

Use female MFI officers where appropriate

New positions & induction into the culture of the MFI

Acknowledge difficulty MF officers face to reach targets & also work on other social issues

Clear job descriptions are required, specify gender analysis skills required, link to performance appraisal

Use female MFI officers where appropriate

New positions & induction into the culture of the MFI

Creating a gender sensitive culturewithin MFI

Una Murray: gender & dev consultant

– MFI strives to be $ sustainable => limited resources for staff training, data analysis…

– Offset against being a dynamic learning organisation

– Depends on donors & their commitment to monitoring gender issues

– Consider costs of info; plan carefully; how will info be used? Who will do analysis?

– Link to other service providers IMAGE

– MFI strives to be $ sustainable => limited resources for staff training, data analysis…

– Offset against being a dynamic learning organisation

– Depends on donors & their commitment to monitoring gender issues

– Consider costs of info; plan carefully; how will info be used? Who will do analysis?

– Link to other service providers IMAGE

Financial resources for promotion gender sensitive MF

Una Murray: gender & dev consultant

Sharing good practices

Showcase women who were successful when given opportunities

MF has shown that women are effective managers in MFIs

Share lessons learned

Showcase women who were successful when given opportunities

MF has shown that women are effective managers in MFIs

Share lessons learned

Una Murray: gender & dev consultant

Thank you

Happy International

Women’s Day!