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Microfinance in Europe and its outreach to target groups

Publication Papers

Across Europe, individuals from some population groups face an increased risk of financial exclusion: the (long-term) unemployed, (economically inactive) women, single parent households, migrants and ethnic minorities, young people, seniors, and the disabled encounter particular difficulties to access adapted financial services and advice - for both business and personal purposes. Do microfinance providers in Europe actually reach out to these excluded target groups? Do they truly serve the “non-bankable” part of the population? How many of their clients are women, migrants, young persons or disabled? How many of them belong to excluded, vulnerable parts of the population? How has outreach to these target groups evolved over time?