Access to Finance and the Role of Microfinance for Women Entrepreneurs in Pakistan

Access to Finance and the Role of Microfinance for Women Entrepreneurs in Pakistan PDF Author: Samia Mahmood
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Access to Finance and the Role of Microfinance for Women Entrepreneurs in Pakistan

Access to Finance and the Role of Microfinance for Women Entrepreneurs in Pakistan PDF Author: Samia Mahmood
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description


Are Pakistan's Women Entrepreneurs Being Served by the Microfinance Sector?

Are Pakistan's Women Entrepreneurs Being Served by the Microfinance Sector? PDF Author: Mehnaz Safavian
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 0821399330
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 81

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Book Description
Financial services are important for women who are starting and growing a business, but in Pakistan microfinance providers (MFPs) are not reaching Pakistan’s businesswomen. Only 59 percent of microfinance clients are women, yet the majority of these loans are passed on the male members of the household – husbands, fathers, and sons. The practice of passing on loans to male household members is quite widespread; women may be bearing all the transaction costs and risks of accessing loans, but are not the final beneficiaries. Second, a very low proportion of female microfinance clients are entrepreneurs. The report explores why businesswomen in Pakistan may not be using microfinance products to meet their start-up and working capital requirements, in spite of identifying access to finance as a key constraint to their business operations. Against this backdrop, access to finance remains the biggest challenge for a woman who wants to start or grow a business. Yet less than a quarter of the entrepreneurs identified through business development service providers were currently borrowing from microfinance lenders. Even among those entrepreneurs that borrow, dissatisfaction is high. Why? Women borrower-entrepreneurs are not able to access individual loan products, but instead are consistently relegated to group lending. But group loans are very costly for a woman who is running a business, and the loans are too small to fulfill working capital needs. Businesswomen are rarely given the opportunity to access individual loan products, which are usually offered exclusively to male borrowers, and women are not given opportunities to graduate from group loans to individual loans over time. Lending practices often are discriminatory, requiring husbands’ permission, male guarantors, and unmarried women are rarely considered as potential clients. Although MFIs understand that women’s inclusion is integral to the objectives of microfinance, the practice of passing on loans raises serious issues about consumer protection for women clients, and the best and most effective solutions to these challenges could and should come from the sector itself. Designing better products that reach the needs of emerging women entrepreneurs could prove to be good business, achieving double bottom-line objectives. Investing in financial literacy and education of both men and women borrowers can help curb the demand for pass-through loans and help lower risks associated with deceptive practices.

Bringing Finance to Pakistan's Poor

Bringing Finance to Pakistan's Poor PDF Author: Tatiana Nenova
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 082138032X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 262

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Book Description
Although access to financing in Pakistan is expanding quickly, it is two to four times lower than regional benchmarks. Half of Pakistani adults, mostly women, do not engage with the financial system at all, and only 14 percent have access to formal services. Credit for small- and medium-size enterprises is rationed by the financial system. The formal microfinance sector reaches less than 2 percent of the poor, as opposed to more than 25 percent in neighboring countries. Yet it is the micro- and small businesses, along with remittances, that help families escape the poverty trap and participate in the economy. 'Bringing Finance to Pakistan s Poor' is based on a pioneering and comprehensive survey and dataset that measures the access to financial products by Pakistani households. The survey included 10,305 households in all areas of the country, excluding the tribal regions. The accompanying CD contains summary statistics. The authors develop a picture of access to and usage of financial services across the country and across different population groups, and they identify policy and regulatory priorities. Reform measures in Pakistan have been timely, but alone are not enough; financial institutions have lagged behind in adopting technology, segmenting customer bases, diversifying products, and simplifying processes and procedures. Gender bias and low levels of financial literacy remain barriers, as is geographical remoteness. However, the single strongest cause of low financial access is lack of income not location, education, or even gender. 'Bringing Finance to Pakistan s Poor' will be of great interest to readers working in the areas of business and finance, economic policy, gender and rural development, and microfinance.

Nepal and Pakistan : micro-finance and microenterprise development : their contribution to the economic empowerment of women

Nepal and Pakistan : micro-finance and microenterprise development : their contribution to the economic empowerment of women PDF Author: Maria Sabrina De Gobbi
Publisher:
ISBN: 9789221169277
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 72

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Book Description
Extrait du résumé . "This paper presents the findings of two national surveys completed in Nepal and Pakistan on women entrepreneurs who are micro-finance clients. It documents and analyses the impact of micro-finance and microentreprise development on the economic and possible social empowerment of women in the two countries, highlighting differences and similarities. The main factors determining the level of women's economic and social empowerment in a country are its cultural and legal environment, and national policy on women's rights and poverty alleviation. Initiatives organized by micro-finace institutions for the provision of financial services and for policy and legal reform are key elements for achieving greater economic and social empowerment. This paper emphasizes the role of micro-finance and microentreprises development in improving the status of women entrepreneurs in Nepal and Pakistan. To state that this type of development can bring about a complete social change may be somewhat unrealistic. However, the fiindings reported show that micro-finace and microentreprises development may serve as a catalyst towrads social change and improve the political and social status of women."

Women's Entrepreneurship and Microfinance

Women's Entrepreneurship and Microfinance PDF Author: Chiranjib Neogi
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 9811042683
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 214

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Book Description
This book offers a critical perspective on the issues related to women’s empowerment, microfinance, and entrepreneurship in India. Written by distinguishing experts in this field, this book highlights women’s empowerment, which is a process of entrusting power to an individual on the control over resources and decisions. However, these two factors are less effective in a society where religion and cultural dominance is high. The book sheds light on the social security measures undertaken by the government aiming to the right to work helped women who are bounded by social restrictions. Over time there is a shift in rural occupational structure towards non-farm activities, which is largely distress driven self-employment. Access to credit is a great source to provide self-employment that develops self-esteem among women and uplift their position. The book highlights the discrimination against women entrepreneurs in access to credit led to gender biased entrepreneurial society. Association with self-help groups (SHGs) has made women more socially empowered. SHG members help them to change their life in a positive manner through micro-entrepreneurial activities. The book has emphasized on the role of microfinance, which has served the poor to become financially self-reliant. It is observed that for second generation borrowers, the impact of microfinance seems to fizzle out, where MFIs who are gaining efficiency are diverting their objective of servicing poor, signalling a sign of mission drift.

Women Entrepreneurs in Pakistan

Women Entrepreneurs in Pakistan PDF Author: Nabeel A. Goheer
Publisher: International Labour Office
ISBN: 9789221136286
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 104

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Book Description
This report is the outcome of a research study initiated and financed by the ILO with the aim of better understanding Pakistani women entrepreneurs and their problems. It offers a portrayal of the specific business environment for women in this country and shows how a complex interplay of different factors has resulted in the disadvantaged status of women in society thus restricting their mobility, economic participation and business activity. The book includes the results of a survey undertaken in the region of 150 women entrepreneurs and follows with a set of recommendations. Narrative stories of 20 selected women entrepreneurs from various economic backgrounds, diverse family set-ups, and different professions are also included.

Women's Access to Financial Services

Women's Access to Financial Services PDF Author: Ateeq-ur Rehman
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Economic development projects
Languages : en
Pages :

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Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship PDF Author: Sílvio Manuel Brito
Publisher: BoD – Books on Demand
ISBN: 9535139630
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 172

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Book Description
Entrepreneurship is a powerful attitude that, in such a way, in the last few years, has become a discipline increasingly transversal to different areas of knowledge. Many times, we think about the things we want such as a good house, a brand new car, a beautiful relationship, a good friendship, and a good way to be in the world. Is that possible that you convert into an entrepreneur? This book shows some examples of that possibility, from simple people to a big organization. In all cases, if you become an entrepreneur, it will be for your taste and pleasure, a means to survive and enjoy the uncertainty, and rejoice that you have all these in your hands and will. Can you find out the trends and overcome the challenges? We would say yes. It all depends on whether you want to develop and apply this attitude.

Micro Finance and Women Empowerment

Micro Finance and Women Empowerment PDF Author: Murlidhar A. Lokhande
Publisher:
ISBN: 9788177083682
Category : Microfinance
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
In India, micro finance is a movement with the underlying objective of helping poor households to have access to financial services, including credit at affordable cost. Many of those who promote micro finance believe that such access will help poor people get out of poverty. For others, micro finance is a way to promote economic development, employment, and growth through the support of micro entrepreneurs and small businesses. Women in India are typically poorer than men and have fewer options for earning a livelihood that provides adequate food, housing, and education for their children. However, they are also viewed as the change agents of the family. Women are more likely to invest their earnings into improving the lives of the families. By encouraging women to take charge of their futures, micro finance institutions can impact families and whole communities. However, the pace of women empowerment in India, through micro finance, is slow, due to a variety of constraints which urgently need to be rooted out. This book examines some of the issues that need to be addressed in order to empower the lives of India's women through micro finance.

Micro Finance, Micro Enterprises and Women Entrepreneurs

Micro Finance, Micro Enterprises and Women Entrepreneurs PDF Author: Rabindra Kumar Swain
Publisher:
ISBN: 9788177083736
Category : Businesswomen
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Micro finance is the provision of a diverse range of financial services and products, including small loans (micro credit), saving accounts, insurance, pensions, and money transfers. In India, these are designed to assist people living in poverty who are not able to access financial services in the mainstream banking sector because they have no collateral, formal identification, or steady income. Micro enterprises contribute significantly to economic growth, equity, and social stability. The sector is one of the most important vehicles through which India's low-income-earning people can escape poverty. With limited skills and education, poor women, particularly in rural areas, find tremendous economic opportunities in micro enterprises. This book explains and examines the role of micro finance and micro enterprises in empowering women from disadvantaged sections of the Indian economy.