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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!