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Financial Inclusion 2020

Financial Inclusion 2020 is building a shared roadmap for action, working in partnership with other organizations with specialized expertise. The Center for Financial Inclusion has a track record of promoting dialogue among decisionmakers and developing a shared language and vision, with an eye toward turning vision into action. FI2020 builds on existing resources and industry efforts for financial inclusion, and incorporates geographic diversity and the perspectives of a range of stakeholders.

The three principal activities of FI2020:

Mapping the Invisible Market
Research and data on demographic change, economic growth, technology, and more.

Roadmap to Inclusion
Action-oriented blueprints on how to reach new and underserved markets.

Global Forum
Engaging leaders who can accelerate financial inclusion. October 28-30, 2013, London

Smart Campaign

The Smart Campaign is a global campaign to embed client protection into the DNA of the microfinance industry. The Smart Campaign works with microfinance leaders from around the world on a common goal: to keep clients as the driving force of the industry by providing microfinance institutions with the tools and resources they need to deliver transparent, respectful, and prudent financial services to all clients. The Smart Campaign believes that protecting clients is not only the right thing to do, its the smart thing to do.

The Smart Campaign invites financial service providers who serve low-income clients to consider becoming certified. And it invites investors and other supporters of financial institutions to urge their investees to seek Certification.

Learn more about Certification »

Endorse the Campaign »

See all tools & resources »

 

Investing in Inclusive Finance

Investing in Inclusive Finance explores the challenges and opportunities associated with the intersection of microfinance and commercial investment including strengthening microfinance fund management; creating instruments that foster healthy local capital markets; assisting MFIs with transformation strategies; and building capacity and support for MFIs to qualify for commercial investment and to work effectively with investors. CFI seeks solutions that address the needs of both investors and MFIs and draw on the collective expertise of Accion staff and private sector players.

The Africa Board Fellowship connects board members and CEOs through peer learning and exchange to strengthen the governance of financial institutions serving low-income clients.

The Financial Inclusion Equity Council (FIEC) brings together the leading private entities that make equity investments in microfinance institutions (MFIs) in the developing world. 

The Risk Management Initiative in Microfinance (RIM) contributes to the development of awareness, best practices, and appropriate standards for risk management in microfinance globally. 

The Governance Working Group (GWG) aims to bring together leading experts and initiatives to address the challenge of improving governance in the industry.

Persons with Disabilities

The Center for Financial Inclusion aims for persons with disabilities to enjoy equal and fair access to quality financial products and services. The moral and legal case for taking action are already well established. The Center believes that progress can be made without providing specialized products or services. A study by Handicap International in 2005, suggests that much of the participation in financial services by PWDs is subsidized. The goal of the Center is to build a strong business case for providing non-subsidized financial services to persons with disabilities.

In 2010, the CFI launched the Financial Inclusion for People with Disabilities program with a concept note, “New Financial Access Frontier: People with Disabilities” (also available in Spanish) and a roundtable hosted by the World Bank.  The Center is building a body of “how to” knowledge that can be disseminated to financial service providers and networks around the world through advocacy and trainings.

For more, download the Keynote Address by Joshua Goldstein, Principal Director for Economic Citizenship & Disability Inclusion at CFI at the Binational Forum about Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Sept. 19-21, 2012, Tijuana and Ensenada, Mexico. 

 

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