SPECIAL REPORT: Practitioners, Researchers Among Those Sought to Participate in 2019 “Financial Inclusion Compass” Survey of Microfinance Trends

The European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP), an NGO in Luxembourg with over 130 members, recently began accepting responses to the survey from which it will build second annual Financial Inclusion Compass. The 2018 edition of the Compass identified the following as the most important trends: Client Protection; Regulatory Environment; Governance; Outreach to Low-Income Segments; and Technology & New Delivery Channels. In the New Areas of Focus section, agri-finance was the top subject by far, with SME finance, climate change, housing and energy rounding out the top five.

Answers to the open-ended survey questions exposed additional topics of interest, including the following: the perceived threat of new fintech services to old business models; the related importance of client protection in fintech; the emerging focus on agri-finance and the related issues of climate change adaptation, energy finance and outreach to new segments; the mixed ecosystem of financial service providers that will coexist in the future; and the challenge of expanding financial education.

While all stakeholders are invited to participate, e-MFP is particularly encouraging practitioners and researchers to reply to the survey in order for the results to reflect a balance of perspectives. The survey, which is available in English, French and Spanish, should take 10 to 15 minutes to complete. September 9 is the deadline to participate, and the final report is due for release in November, in time for European Microfinance Week.

This feature is part of a sponsored series on European Microfinance Week, which will take place from November 20 through November 22, 2019. The event is held each year by the e-MFP, and MicroCapital has been engaged to promote and document the event on-site each year since 2012.

Sources and Additional Resources

SPECIAL REPORT: The “Financial Inclusion Compass 2019”
https://www.microcapital.org/special-report-the-financial-inclusion-compass-2019-e-mfp-to-launch-2nd-annual-survey-of-financial-inclusion-trends/

European Microfinance Week 2019
http://www.e-mfp.eu/european-microfinance-week-2019

MicroCapital coverage of European Microfinance Week Since 2012
https://www.microcapital.org/category/european-microfinance-week/

European Microfinance Award
http://www.european-microfinance-award.com