Inclusive Microfinance:

1. Inclusive Microfinance: ensuring the access to mainstream microfinance services for Persons with disabilities

2. Persons with Disabilities Who are they?

3. Definition from the UNCRPD • Persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. (Art. 1)

4. Personal factors Environmental Factors Facilitator - Obstacles Interactions Life Habits Human Developmental Model Adapted from Handicap Creation process - Fougeyrollas et al., 1997 Organic systems Integrity - Impairment Capabilities Ability – Funct. impairment Social Participation - Disabling Situation

5. Facts and figures • 10% - 12% of the world’s population has some form of impairment disability (over 600 millions people) • 80% live in low-income countries • 82% of Pwd live below the poverty line • 80% of Pwd of working age are unemployed • Women with disabilities are generally worse off than men with disabilities • The majority of Pwd in developing countries live in rural areas • Pwd have a higher rate of unemployment than the rest of the population

6. Livelihood opportunities • Employment • Social security resources / safety net • Self-employment • Lack of opportunities in the job market • Exist only in some developed countries • Most often the only option available : 80% of the Pwds who have an economic activity are self-employed

7. The barriers to access MF services From Microfinance institutions From Persons with disabilities “MFI are money hunters” “Borrowing money is too risky” “Because of our situation, we should receive grants” “What is microfinance?” “They would always refuse to consider us as clients” “I can’t even access their nearest branch” “We haven’t thought about it.” “There is probably not so many disabled persons running viable businesses.” “We don’t have any knowledge on how to serve this segment.” “We need special products to serve this segment.“ “We are to busy to think about this”

8. The barriers to access MF services Discrimination Self-exclusion • Lack of self-esteem • Lack of saving culture • Adverse to risk • Habit of being rejected • Expectation of charity • Lack of information on the existence of the MF services • Lack if understanding of MF mechanisms • Reluctance from staff to serve Persons with disabilities (deliberately or unconsciously) • Physical barriers to access the MF services • Exclusion by group of borrowers • No communication aiming at Persons with disabilities • Financial products do not suit

9. What MFI can do ! Including disabled clients in communication materials

10. What MFI can do ! Making MF branch accessible

11. What MFI can do ! Recruiting Persons with disabilities

12. What MFI can do ! Make public success storiesof disabled clients

13. What MFI can do ! • Training for MFI staff • Communication from MFI director to all MFI staff (newsletter or special letter) • Special conditions to groups which include disabled members • Bonus for Loan officer reaching out Pwd • Identify existing disabled clients and get them to recommend new clients

14. « Should we do all of this alone? » Partnering with actors of the disability sector: • IDDC members: CBM, NAD, Leonard Cheshire International, Handicap international, etc. • Disabled people organisation: federation or local organisation (depends on capacities) With the support of the Microfinance for all Network

15. « Should we do all of this alone? » Actors of the disability sector are able to • Conduct staff training • Contribute to MFI outreach programme • Prepare future clients (graduating scheme) • Help make MFI branches accessible • Contribute to recruitment of Persons with disabilities • Help designing communication material • Gathering documentation and tools (Microfinance for all Network) • Accessing new sources of funds from donors