Social Finance
Access to finance for decent work in Africa
ILO projects and activities on microfinance are due to help maximizing the impact of the ILO’s work towards
achieving the objectives of the decent work agenda. Microfinance makes a powerful contribution to decent work in
a variety of ways: Integrating financial and social policies, creating conditions for wage and self-employment,
reducing vulnerability, strengthening the voice of the social partners, Promoting gender equality, empowering the poor.
ILO’s Social Finance Programme systematically analyses, evaluates and disseminates financial sector issues relevant for
employment and social justice. The programme‘s work is organized around three major themes: reducing vulnerability,
creating jobs through enterprise development, and making financial policies more employment-sensitive.
ILO works on social finance in Africa is focused on :
- Capacity building of MFIs staff: Several training packages have been developed
for microfinance institutions and are being delivered in several countries.
- Innovative products development: Training material on leasing, guarantee funds,
Mutual guarantee associations, remittances, micro insurance…
- Advise on national microfinance strategies and enabling legal framework
- Promote Gender through microfinance: giving voice in MFIs to women (Tanzania, Burkina Faso)
and vulnerable groups such as disable people (Ethiopia, Uganda)
- Research, on and dissemination of new techniques to improve access to financial services for vulnerable groups such
as child labour families (in collaboration with IPEC programmes in Africa.
- Research and dissemination on best practices and appropriate financial products geared to
young African entrepreneurs in order to boost youth employment.
- Assist in the creation and development of Microfinance associations to promote access to finance and push forward the decent work agenda in Africa
(Burundi, Madagascar, Senegal) in collaboration with the African Microfinance Network (AFMIN)
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