Women, Risks, and Opportunities
Originally published in Latin Finance
A Woman Entrepreneur Gets a Loan, What Happens Next? Track the Impact to Find Out
by Galia Rabchinsky - Patricia Yañez-Pagans - Flavia Tinelli - Agustina Zamprile
In San Salvador, a small businesswoman gets a loan to upgrade the equipment of her manufacturing company. A year later, her firm is more productive and has won a new supply contract from a large local buyer. Her sales are increasing, and she plans to hire two more people.
From the bank’s perspective, she is a good client who makes her payments on time. But there is much more to her story that the bank is missing. She is a woman leading a business that’s growing and creating jobs, thanks to this financing. Why should the bank care about capturing this information?
Microfinance to Reduce Gaps for the Migrant Population in Chile
by César Carcelén - Su Hyun Kim - Cristina Paredes - Karina Gómez
Photo: Fondo Esperanza
Latin America and the Caribbean are facing the largest immigration crisis in their history. According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), the number of immigrants has doubled in the last 30 years, from 7 million in 1990 to almost 15 million in 2020.
Paradoxically, this challenge could become a tool for inclusive development if the public and private sectors and civil society collaborate to connect innovation with the economic and social growth opportunities that migration can generate.
We Are Half the Population But Less Than One-third of Top Corporate Leaders. What Can Companies Do?
According to a study by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) conducted in 2021, analyzing data from 1,015 women in 20 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, it is clear that the "glass ceiling" (stereotypes, unwritten norms, and prejudices that hinder women's access to positions of power) persists in the private sector.
Is it Time to Rethink Financial Services for Women Entrepreneurs? We Conducted a Survey to Find Out
Despite the business case, due to their repayment behavior, women-led companies' significant financing needs still need to be met.
A recent survey by IDB Invest revealed that SMEs led by women have a loan default rate of only 2.7%, while that of men is as high as 4%. But the question remains: what are financial institutions offering women?
More and more institutions are becoming aware of the advantages of serving women better and that this would positively impact their client portfolios while directly contributing to the development of their countries.
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