Transparency | MicroCapital
  • MicroCapital Monitor

    MicroCapital Monitor<br>Subscribe to our monthly market report
    Our pdf newspaper includes you everything you need to know about microfinance news, research, events and key players.

  • External Links

    Treetops Capital Microfinance SMEs Housing Agribusiness

    Microenterprise Learning, Information & Knowledge Sharing

    Tenth European Microfinance Network Conference, Stockholm, Sweden, June 2013

    Absolute Portfolio Management Vision Microfinance Vienna Austria



  • TBLI Conference New York June 2013

» Currently browsing: Transparency


Tuesday, May 21, 2013

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: MFTransparency Reveals Truth in Lending Tables Data Platform and Pricing Transparency Index

MicroFinance Transparency (MFTransparency), a US-based nongovernmental organization that provides information on microcredit products and their prices, recently revealed the Truth in Lending Tables (TILT) Data Platform that displays the interest rates and fees charged to 40 million microfinance clients of 429 institutions across 20 countries. Continue Reading »

Share


Tuesday, April 23, 2013

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Democratic Republic of Congo Fights Corruption by Paying 1m Civil Servants via Mobile Banking

Since Prime Minister Augustin Matata Ponyo vowed in 2012 to replace all cash wage payments in the hopes of minimizing corruption, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has issued wage payments to 270,000 of 1 million civil servants via mobile banking. Continue Reading »

Share


Saturday, April 20, 2013

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Luxembourg Fund Labeling Agency (LuxFLAG) Accepting Microfinance Label Applications Through May 7, Issues Environment Label to BNP Paribas L1 Equity World Aqua

The Luxembourg Fund Labeling Agency (LuxFLAG), a nonprofit organization that investigates whether investment vehicles actually support the microfinance and environment sectors, is accepting applications from microfinance investment vehicles (MIVs) for its annual Microfinance Label until May 7, 2013. Continue Reading »

Share


Friday, April 19, 2013

MICROFINANCE PUBLICATION ROUND-UP: Microfinance Institution Tiers, Microfinance in East Africa, Weather Risk Management

“Microfinance Institution Tier Definitions;” published by MicroRate; April 2013; 2 pages; available at http://www.microrate.com/media/downloads/2013/04/MicroRate-White-paper-Microfinance-Institution-Tier-Definitions.pdf

This report proposes a “tier system that defines microfinance institution [MFI] peer groups by institutional maturity to provide a foundation for industry analysis and informed dialogue.” Continue Reading »

Share


Monday, April 15, 2013

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation to Bailout Microfinance Institutions, Primary Mortgage Banks

The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), a quasi-independent agency of the federal government that insures deposit-taking financial institutions, recently announced that it will grant an undisclosed amount of financial assistance to distressed microfinance banks (MFBs) and primary mortgage banks (PMBs) recently closed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Continue Reading »

Share


Monday, April 15, 2013

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: China Microfinance Institution Association (CMIA) to Introduce Credit Rating System for Microfinance Institutions As Early As July 2013

The China Microfinance Institution Association (CMIA), an organization that advocates for the interests of 92 domestic member microfinance institutions (MFIs) covering 27 provinces, plans to introduce a credit rating system to evaluate MFIs as early as July.

Continue Reading »

Share


Thursday, April 11, 2013

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: MFTransparency Launch Transparent Pricing Initiative in Morocco in Partnership with Netherlands Platform for Microfinance, Planet Rating, Centre Mohammed VI de Soutien a la Microfinance Solidaire

MicroFinance Transparency (MFTransparency), a US-based NGO, is bringing its “Transparent Pricing Initiative” to Morocco.  Continue Reading »

Share


Tuesday, April 2, 2013

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Social Performance Task Force (SPTF) Calls for Survey Submissions by April 5, 2013

The Social Performance Task Force (SPTF), a working group initiated in 2005 by a  group of NGOs based in the US and Switzerland, is calling for microfinance industry professionals to fill out an online survey intended to identify what social performance management practices are being implemented throughout the microfinance industry, what challenges exist in implementing these policies and what additional resources institutions need to achieve their social performance goals more effectively.  Continue Reading »

Share


Monday, March 25, 2013

MICROFINANCE PUBLICATION ROUND-UP: Microfinance and Patriarchy, Connecting the World’s Poorest People to the Global Economy, “Best Practices” in Serving Small Businesses

“Microfinance and Patriarchy: A Drift Away from Serving Women;” published by Knowledge @ Wharton; 2013; 3 pages; available at: http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/createpdf.cfm?articleid=3169

This report highlights the importance of gender equality in the provision of microfinance and focuses on the negative impacts of patriarchal attitudes on lending practices. Continue Reading »

Share


Friday, March 22, 2013

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Social Performance Task Force (SPTF) Calls for Submissions for “Balancing Social and Financial Responsibility” Section of the Universal Standards Resource Library

The Social Performance Task Force (SPTF), a working group initiated in 2005 by CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor), the Argidius Foundation and the Ford Foundation, is seeking submissions for its online Universal Standards Resource Library. Continue Reading »

Share


Wednesday, February 13, 2013

MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: “Microfinance in Myanmar Sector Assessment”; by Eric Duflos, Paul Luchtenburg, Li Ren and Li Yan Chen; published by CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor), International Finance Corporation

By Eric Duflos, Paul Luchtenburg, Li Ren and Li Yan Chen, published by CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor) and International Finance Corporation, January 2013, 43 pages, available at:  http://www1.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/d87bf8804e5aba9bad7dadfce4951bf6/Microfinance+in+Myanmar+Sector+Assessment-Final.pdf?MOD=AJPERES

This joint CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor) and International Finance Corporation (IFC) report reviews the current state of Myanmar’s microfinance sector and the challenges involved with its future development. Continue Reading »

Share


Sunday, February 3, 2013

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Australian Bankers’ Association Boosts Consumer Protection in Code of Banking Practice

The 25-member Australian Bankers’ Association (ABA) reportedly has amended its code of banking practice, which is expected to increase transparency in customer interactions. Continue Reading »

Share


Friday, February 1, 2013

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Belarus Drafts Decree Regulating Microfinance Industry

The government of Belarus reportedly has issued a draft decree that would regulate microfinance institutions (MFIs). Continue Reading »

Share


Thursday, January 31, 2013

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Smart Campaign Launches Certification of Microfinance Institutions Regarding Client Protection

The Smart Campaign, a consumer-protection initiative launched in 2010 by US-based nonprofit Accion, recently released a Client Protection Certification Program that aims to verify that financial institutions serving the world’s poor people are focused on the fair treatment of clients. Continue Reading »

Share


Thursday, January 31, 2013

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: New Microfinance Regulation in Kazakhstan Caps Interest Rates at 56%, Seeks to Increase Transparency, Foreign Investment

A new law in Kazakhstan reportedly will tighten regulations and enhance transparency in the microfinance sector. Continue Reading »

Share


Saturday, January 26, 2013

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Social Performance Task Force (SPTF) Calls for Submissions for its Universal Standards Resource Library: Treat Employees Responsibly

The Social Performance Task Force (SPTF), a working group initiated in 2005 by CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor), the Argidius Foundation and the Ford Foundation, is seeking submissions for its online Universal Standards Resource Library. Continue Reading »

Share


Tuesday, January 22, 2013

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: MicroFinance Transparency, Pakistan Microfinance Network Partner to Collect, Publish Microloan Pricing Data

MicroFinance Transparency (MFTransparency), a US-based nongovernmental organization that provides information on microcredit products and their prices, is partnering with Pakistan Microfinance Network (PMN), a network of 29 microfinance providers in Pakistan, to publish pricing data on loans offered by microfinance institutions in Pakistan. Continue Reading »

Share


Saturday, December 22, 2012

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) Among Banks Requiring Third-Party Assessment of Codes of Conduct from Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) Seeking Wholesale Loans

A group of lenders headed by the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), a state-owned bank, have made it compulsory for microfinance institutions (MFIs) in the country to undergo third-party assessments of their codes of conduct in order to receive loans. Continue Reading »

Share