Microfinance Barometer 2014

The fifth edition of Microfinance Barometer examines the possible contribution of the microfinance sector to the post-2015 development agenda. In this edition, researchers and sector experts share their insights on the prospects of responsible microfinance, the evolution of regulation, and stakeholder practices, both in developed and developing countries. The paper also identifies the challenges that limit the sector from maximizing social impact. It suggests that the microfinance sector must evolve to reaffirm its role as one of the key drivers in tackling this century’s development challenges. The paper covers the following sections in detail:

• Discussion on the future of microfinance;
• Key statistics from the sector including global loan portfolio, growth returns, and global unbanked population;
• Maya Declaration and its role in putting financial inclusion on the world map;
• State of the mobile money industry;
• Social performance trends with a focus on global social ratings and the importance of social performance mentoring;
• Role of product innovation and technological innovation in microfinance;
• Importance of regulating microfinance;
• Microfinance sector in Europe with a special focus on France.