On the occasion of his first anniversary with the organization, Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) Executive Director Marten Leijon reflects on the past and future of MIX, discussing priorities such as transparency, innovation and increased collaboration for information exchange.
Category: Transparency
MICROCAPITAL EVENT: MFTransparency Hosts Conference Launching its Microfinance Transparency Pricing Initiative in Bolivia, December 2, 2010 (Date Has Been Revised)
Event Name: Conference: Transparent Pricing Initiative in Bolivia
Event Date: December 2, 2010 (date has been revised)
Event Location: Radisson Plaza Hotel, La Paz, Bolivia
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Lokesh Kumar Singh of Sanchetna Financial Services on Corporate Governance in the Indian Microfinance Industry
Lokesh Kumar Singh, Managing Partner at Indian microfinance institution (MFI) Sanchetna Financial Services, recently wrote an article on corporate governance in the Indian microfinance industry that appeared on the India Microfinance Business News website.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: CGAP Releases “Financial Access 2010” Survey
CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor), an independent policy and research center housed at the World Bank, recently released its survey of financial regulators “Financial Access 2010”.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Social Investors Investigate Criteria for Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Performance of Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), Triple Jump, Oikocredit Hold Meeting to Mull Harmonization of ESG Evaluation
The Social Investor Working Group on Tool Sharing and Harmonization, a group born out of the Social Investor Group meeting in Bern in June 2010, where approximately 40 investors representing about half of total assets under management in the microfinance sector met to discuss socially responsible investing, is exploring different ways to assess the environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance of microfinance institutions (MFIs).
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor) Calls on Funders to Join SmartAid 2011, An Index of Microfinance Support Efficacy
CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor) has recently announced the release of SmartAid 2011, an index that measures and rates the way microfinance funders support microfinance.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Peter Van Dijk Outlines Measures to Strengthen Rights of Microfinance Institution Customers
Peter Van Dijk, a consultant based in Indonesia, recently wrote an opinion piece that appeared on the Microfinance Focus website outlining measures to enhance the rights of consumers of microfinance institutions (MFIs).
MICROCAPITAL EVENT: Intellecap Hosts 2010 Srijan Financial Inclusion Forum and Awards in Mumbai, India, October 7 – 8, 2010
Event Name: 2010 Srijan Financial Inclusion Forum
Event Date: October 7, 2010 – October 8, 2010
Event Locations: Taj Land’s End, Mumbai, India
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Central Bank of Nigeria to Discontinue Issuance of Universal Banking Licenses, Introduce Three New Banking License Classes in 2011, Microfinance to Fall Under “Specialized” Category
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigeria’s central banking authority, recently announced that in January 2011 it will introduce three new classes of banking licenses—for commercial banking, merchant banking and specialized banking—as well as discontinue the issuance of universal banking licenses.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Managing Director of Ghanaian Area Rural Bank Apex Cautions Against Fraud by Interns
Eric Osei-Bonsu, Managing Director of the Area Rural Bank Apex Bank (ARB Apex Bank), an umbrella organization of rural and community banks (RCBs), some of which provide microfinance services, warned against individuals who might do significant financial damage to banks under the disguise of interns at a meeting of its member rural banks on September 11, 2010.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Iraqi Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) Agree to Code of Ethics at Inaugural Iraqi Microfinance Industry Network Meeting
At the inaugural meeting of the Iraqi Microfinance Industry Network in Baghdad, representatives of all 14 Iraqi microfinance institutions (MFIs) present agreed to a Code of Conduct and Ethics that mandates ethical behavior and a commitment to serving low-income Iraqis.
MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP UP: Microfinance Activities and the Core Principles for Effective Banking Supervision, by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision
Written by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, released in August 2010, 57 pages, available at http://www.bis.org/publ/bcbs175.htm
This paper written by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, a subcommittee of the Bank for International Settlements, which is an intergovernmental organization of central banks, reviews the applicability of its 2006 Core Principles for Effective Banking Supervision [1], the de facto standard on prudential regulation and supervision of banks, to the emerging class of microfinance institutions (MFIs), including both depositing-taking MFIs and cooperatives.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Credit Awareness Nigeria Urges Banks to Provide Low-Income Groups with Better Access to Microfinance Products
At the Lagos State Conference on Credit Awareness, Credit Awareness Nigeria, a nonprofit organization which aims to promote financial literacy, recently called on banks to provide low-income groups with better access to financial services.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Grameen Foundation Issues Standards for Progress out of Poverty Index Prior to Commencement of Certification Program
Grameen Foundation, a US-based nonprofit, recently announced the issuance of standards of use for its Progress out of Poverty Index (PPI), a tool developed by Grameen for tracking and reporting poverty data as reported by MicroCapital on February 26, 2009.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Total Number of Microfinance Organizations Endorsing the SMART Client Protection Principles Reaches 528
This month, the number of microfinance organizations endorsing the SMART Campaign, an initiative housed at the Center for Financial Inclusion reached 528, with the latest endorser being Finance in Motion, a Frankfurt-based asset management firm focused on development finance.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Association of Microfinance Institutions of Kenya Adopts Rules to Promote Accountability, Suppress “Profit Greed” Among Member Institutions
On August 20, 2010, the 43 members of the Association of Microfinance Institutions of Kenya (AMFI) unanimously signed an Industry Commitment Note [1], wherein each agreed to follow a new set of rules focused on governance, accountability and poverty eradication above “profit greed.”
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Grameen Foundation Announces Official Launch of Mifos.com to Promote Microfinance Institution Management Software
The Grameen Foundation, a US-based nonprofit organization, recently announced the official launch of “Mifos.com,” a website that it will use to promote Mifos, its free, open-source microfinance institution (MFI) management software package.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) Releases “Latin America and the Caribbean Benchmarks 2009”
The Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX), the microfinance information clearinghouse, recently released “Latin America and the Caribbean Benchmarks 2009” which compares performance indicators for microfinance institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean.