Gender and rural microfinance: Reaching and empowering ... - IFAD

discriminated against, or where they might be particularly vulnerable to sexual harassment or
violence. They can also indicate trends, such as the increasing or decreasing importance of certain
institutions. This analysis increases understanding of which services are the most important for
whom, criteria for selection, and barriers to access. It also provides insights into how poor women’s
and men’s perceptions of financial services sometimes vary substantially from the actual terms and
conditions being offered, and reveals the gaps in their knowledge.
The process helps clients share information on various financial institutions and make informed
choices. It gives MFIs a good understanding of their context and competition and the particular
preferences and needs they might seek to meet, and of how services can be improved.
Individual analysis and planning for financial literacy and livelihood development
Livelihood road journeys
These are of two types:
‘Livelihood vision journeys’ identify people’s future livelihood ambitions in the long term and where
they are, currently, in relation to these, and establish time-bound targets based on an analysis of
gender and other relevant risks and opportunities. This process then permits identification of monthby-month
targets and strategies. Seasonality and cash-flow calendars or life cycle changes can also
be integrated along the ‘road’.
‘Livelihood achievement journeys’ look at experiences in the past – opportunities seized, how
livelihoods have been built up from multiple strategies and opportunities, crises that have occurred,
and how they were dealt with. They also look at gender-based opportunities and risks that will need
to be taken into account in future planning or product design, such as life cycle events, violence,
health crises, and education.
Both journeys contribute to client learning about which products and financial strategies would
benefit them most, so they can make informed choices and negotiate with financial institutions.
Information from maps, ‘trees’ and calendars can be summarized and incorporated for very detailed
analysis of particular products – how they relate to cash flows, seasonal opportunities and risks –
and of the relationship between loans, savings and insurance premiums.
For MFIs, road journeys complement market research by providing quantifiable insights into the
various livelihood strategies used by clients in different economic activities and from different
backgrounds. This helps identify how client strategies can best be supported to take advantage of
opportunities and address risks, and which products are likely to give maximum benefit. Road
journeys can also be used as a basis for loan applications and loan contracts.
Livelihood income/expenditure or contribution/benefit trees
Trees can facilitate more detailed analysis of the sources of household market and non-market
income, the labour contribution of various household members, and differences in expenditure and
benefit. Income and expenditure can be analysed by gender on separate sides of the tree and used
to identify ‘how far the tree leans and towards whom’ in patterns of inequality in contributions and in
access to or control of income within the household. Trees also include analysis of potential or
actual loan use, savings and reinvestment. They can be used to identify particular areas of
consumption in which loans or savings products might be useful, sources of repayment, and how
women’s control can be increased.
For MFIs, trees can be quantified and used to complement or substitute for road journeys as a
basis for loan applications and loan contracts.
Source: Adapted from Mayoux (2009 forthcoming).
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