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Download the Center for Mircofinance Leadership brochure. Also available in Spanish.

Why Gender Diversity Matters

Gender diversity matters in microfinance. WWB champions gender diversity because we believe that diverse perspectives lead to stronger decisions and healthier, more vibrant organizations. Incorporating women’s voices when designing and delivering microfinance products is particularly important when a majority of clients are women. Equally as important, microfinance clients often speak of the inspiration they derive from seeing powerful women leaders in the organizations that serve them. How best to achieve diversity? The answer lies in leadership and technical skill development of individual, high-potential leaders as well as in organizational transformations to ensure that all women and men work in environments where they can perform, excel and lead.

Featured Publication

“Transforming the Landscape of Leadership in Microfinance: Maintaining the Focus on Women” introduces WWB’s new methodology for helping MFIs support gender diversity at all levels of their institution. WWB has expanded its Women’s Leadership Development Program, which works with individuals, to include a tool that focuses on the challenges and opportunities microfinance institutions face in the attraction, retention, and promotion of qualified women staff members - the Organizational Gender Assessment. Now available in English and Spanish.

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  • Women’s World Banking Partners with ACLEDA Training Center to Enhance Management Quality in Microfinance
    Sat, January 21, 2012

    27 participants from 15 institutions in 5 countries in the Asia Pacific region came together in Cambodia from January 16 to 21, 2012 for Women’s World Banking’s (WWB) Center for Microfinance Leadership Management Development Program and Training of Trainers (MDP TOT), a 6-day course aiming to develop transformational skills for managers of microfinance institutions (MFIs).

  • We are our people: Promoting Women’s Leadership at Pro Mujer
    Mon, January 9, 2012

    During the Center for Microfinance Leadership Management Development Program and Training of Trainers held in Quito, Ecuador, 22 managers from 17 institutions in 8 countries across Latin America and the Caribbean came together for a 6-day training focused on developing transformational management skills for microfinance leaders. Among the group were a number of extraordinary women representing Pro Mujer in Argentina, Bolivia, Mexico and Nicaragua. As the participants were getting to know each other, a common trend began to emerge: delegates from Pro Mujer had started as clients of the institutions where they now work as managers.

    A core focus at Women’s World Banking is to promote principled and visionary leadership for the microfinance industry. Key to achieving this mission is to ensure that institutions have a pipeline of highly qualified women who represent the current and future leadership of high-performing, meritocratic microfinance providers committed to the double-bottom line.

  • Somos nuestra gente: Promoviendo el Liderazgo de la Mujer en Pro Mujer
    Wed, January 4, 2012

    Durante la Capacitación en Desarrollo Gerencial para Capacitadores del Centro para el Liderazgo en las Microfinanzas, celebrado en Quito, Ecuador, 22 gerentes procedentes de 17 instituciones de 8 países, a lo largo de América Latina y el Caribe, se reunieron para participar en una capacitación de 6 días de duración, enfocada hacia el desarrollo de pericias gerenciales para la transformación, para líderes en microfinanzas. Dentro del grupo había un número de mujeres extraordinarias que representaban a Pro Mujer en Argentina, Bolivia, México y Nicaragua. A medida que las participantes se fueron conociendo entre sí, comenzó a surgir una tendencia común: las delegadas de Pro Mujer habían comenzado como clientas de las instituciones donde ahora trabajan como gerentes.

    Un enfoque fundamental en Women’s World Banking consiste en promover un liderazgo visionario y de principios para la industria de las microfinanzas. Es clave para el logro de esta misión asegurar que las instituciones cuentan con una reserva de mujeres altamente cualificadas, que representan el liderazgo actual y futuro de proveedores de microfinanzas de elevado desempeño, meritocráticos y comprometidos con la doble rentabilidad.

  • Knowledge@Wharton: Microfinance's Latest Challenge: Cutting Back on Over-indebtedness Among Its Poorest Clients
    Wed, December 7, 2011

    Long before "99%" became a symbol of Occupy Wall Street, the microfinance industry used the number to describe the share of its clients -- poor entrepreneurs shunned by traditional banks -- who repaid their micro-loans on time. It's a number used less and less in microfinance these days -- not because of Occupy Wall Street, but because many micro-borrowers are starting to default.

  • WWB and Wharton Bring Together Microfinance Leaders for Advanced Leadership Program
    Thu, December 1, 2011

    The third Advanced Leadership Program co-hosted by Women’s World Banking and Wharton’s Aresty Institute of Executive Education’s has brought together senior leaders from 15 institutions in 14 countries. The Advanced Leadership Program challenges leaders to think strategically in complex and changing environment, learn from industry peers and enhance their negotiation, critical thinking and scenario planning skills.

  • Catalyst: Gender and Corporate Social Responsibility: It’s A Matter of Sustainability
    Mon, November 21, 2011

    The benefits of gender-diverse leadership extend beyond short-term financial performance. Companies with both women and men leaders in the boardroom and at the executive table are poised to achieve sustainable big wins for the company and society. New data from Catalyst and researchers from Harvard Business School suggest that gender-inclusive leadership and corporate social responsibility (CSR), examined through the lens of corporate philanthropy, are linked.


  • YouTube: Mary Ellen Iskenderian on Leadership in Microfinance
    Wed, November 9, 2011

    The BSR Conference 2011 featured a powerful lineup of plenary speakers, including Women’s World Banking President and CEO Mary Ellen Iskenderian, Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn, Autodesk President and CEO Carl Bass, and CIVICUS Secretary General Ingrid Srinath.

  • WWB Women in Leadership Program: Activating Female Talent
    Fri, October 7, 2011

    Women’s World Banking (WWB) is proud to have partnered with KPMG Europe LLP (KPMG) to host the Women in Leadership Program in Amsterdam, The Netherlands from October 2nd to 7th, 2011. The program brought together 20 women in management and leadership roles from 14 microfinance institutions (MFIs) in 12 countries in the Eastern Europe, Central Asia and South Asia regions.

  • Women's World Banking and KPMG Form Leadership Development and Mentoring Partnership
    Tue, August 23, 2011

    Women’s World Banking (WWB) is proud to announce that KPMG Europe LLP (KPMG), a global network of professional firms providing audit, advisory and tax services, has agreed to host and collaborate on WWB’s Women in Leadership Program. The first step in this collaboration will be to host the Women in Leadership Workshop taking place in fall 2011 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

  • Women's World Banking hosts Women in Leadership Program in Amman, Jordan
    Wed, July 20, 2011

    Women’s World Banking’s Center for Microfinance Leadership is proud to be hosting the 2011 Women in Leadership Program for the Middle East, North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa from July 17 to 21, 2011 in Amman, Jordan.  We are delighted that Microfund for Women, a leading Jordanian microfinance institution and member of the WWB network, will be our local co-host for this program.