Microcredit: an answer to the gender problem in funding?

Sophie Brana

No 1008, Larefi Working Papers from Larefi, Université Bordeaux 4

Abstract: Microfinance institutions (MFIs) target poor people, excluded from the banking system. By giving them starting capital, they should thus enable a greater number of women to create their own business, but also in sectors traditionally reserved for men due to the initial capital they require. Our study covers a portfolio of 3,640 microcredits in France over the 2000-2006 period. It identifies microfinance institutions’ client profiles, brings to light the men/women differences and compares them to a wider sample of entrepreneurs. We show that the men/women gap found amongst company creators is maintained amongst clients of MFIs. We also demonstrate that the gender criterion is a decisive factor of the amount of the microcredit when compared to the borrower and firm profile. To a certain extent, MFI thus reproduce gender inequalities.

Keywords: Microcredit; Gender; Entrepreneurship; Small business. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: G21 J16 L26 M13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 32 pages
Date: 2010-01
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Related works:
Journal Article: Microcredit: an answer to the gender problem in funding? (2013)
Working Paper: Microcredit: an answer to the gender problem in funding? (2008)
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