EMN 2008-2009 Overview - Réseau Européen de la Microfinance

Switzerland
Portugal
Poland
Finland
Sweden
Spain
Italy
Belgium
France
Bulgaria
Norway
Netherlands
Ireland
united Kingdom
Romania
Croatia
Germany
Hungary
Latvia
Graph 18: Percentage of women and men clients
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Note: Estonia and Lithuania did not disclose data on gender balance.
Women Men
We do see, however, that the percentage
of loans disbursed to women has dropped
significantly in some countries, such as
Germany, UK, Spain and Romania. In Spain,
the percentage of women as recipients of loans
was almost 70% in the previous survey. This
has dropped to 40%. On the other hand, the
percentage of women clients has risen slightly
in some countries, such as Switzerland, Poland
and Finland when compared to the previous
EMN study (EMN, 2008). In Finland, women
represent 45% of total loans, up from about
30% of loans in the previous survey.
Immigrants
and Ethnic minorities
A study published by EMN in 2006 on
immigrants’ access to microlending shows that
the terms “immigrant” and “ethnic minority”
are defined differently from one country to
another (EMN, 2006b). This makes analysis
and comparison of data on immigrants and
ethnic minorities difficult. In the present
survey the following definition was adopted
and highlighted on the questionnaire in
order to make sure that respondents had in
mind a common definition when providing
their data: Immigrants are those individuals,
not born in the country of residence. Ethnic
minorities are referred to as groups within a
community which differs ethnically from the
main population. It was decided to combine
the two options in one for this survey. Fiftyfour
percent of the institutions responded to
this question.
According to Eurostat, the percentage
of citizens of countries outside the EU27
was 3.2% and the number of immigrants as
defined in this survey, i.e.: those individuals
not born in the country of residence, was
6.2% in 2008 (Eurostat, 2009), whereas in
the survey 13% of microloan clients were
immigrants. Immigrants and ethnic minorities
are thus overrepresented in microlending
when compared to their part in the total
population.
Once again, it is important to note the total
number of loans disbursed and the impact
small numbers have on the percentage of
immigrant clients. The highest number
of total loans to immigrants or ethnic
minoritites can be found in France and Spain
(Graph 19). In Ireland, the numbers may be
skewed due to the low total number of loans
disbursed, of the 55 total loans disbursed in
2009, 20 of these recipients were immigrants
or ethnic minorities. The countries with the
lowest number of total loans disbursed to
immigrants and ethnic minorities can be
found in Switzerland, followed by Norway.
35