Source: FAO
This Guide was developed as a practical aid for those involved in microfinance programmes. It assists to include socio-economic and gender issues in microfinance programmes and national policies for microfinance.

The objectives of this Guide are two fold:
1. To raise awareness on socio-economic and gender issues in micr ofinance. The development cont ext for microfinance is mainly made up of t he macro policy environment, the institutions that provide microfinance services, and t he women and men clients. The Guide out lines socio-economic and gender issues at these three levels.

2. It is int ended t o provide users of this Guide wit h practical suggest ions for int egrating a socio-economic and gender approach at these t hree levels: (a) through their field level operations; (b) within the structure of their microfinance inst itution itself; and (c) in their lobbying for macro level policy change. It is also hoped that the Guide will stimulat e a process of increased dialogue and discussions bet ween gender advocat es and microfinance/privat e sect or development divisions in donor agencies.

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