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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.
Center for Microfinance Leadership Co-hosts Women's Leadership Exchange with Mibanco
The first Leadership Exchange conducted under the auspices of the Center for Microfinance Leadership took place from June 20-24 in Lima, Peru. Co-hosted by Mibanco, the Exchange brought together nine high-potential women leaders from seven WWB network member institutions in the Latin America region.
The exchange was designed for women managers in microfinance to broaden their exposure to regional best practices, build their network of fellow women leaders in the field, and learn more about the innovative work being done in the Peruvian microfinance industry through a leadership lens.
Rafael Llosa, CEO of Mibanco, and his leadership team opened the meeting with a series of presentations on Mibanco’s mission, operations, products, human resource strategy and social initiatives. Later, two branch visits gave the group the opportunity to see Mibanco’s business model in action. The group also met with Ana Maria Zegarra, Executive Director of Financiera EDYFICAR, who shared her institution’s experience with transformation, as well as the banking Superintendence to learn more about the regulatory context in Peru.
The program also included meetings with women leaders such as Pilar Nores de Garcia, the First Lady of Peru, Carmen Rosa Graham, President of OWIT Peru and Carolina Castilla, Director, CB Consult. Participants were inspied by the candor of these leaders in discussing professional and personal experiences. In the words of one participant, “it makes a great impact to hear from highly successful people who have achieved their dreams.”
In addition to learning from top microfinance institutions and women leaders, the delegates also took part in a robust learning agenda. Throughout the program, the group practiced critical leadership skills such as the use of reflection, active listening, questioning skills and strategic networking.