Functioning of self‐help groups in India: Members’ perceptions of key issues

Self‐help group‐bank linkage program is considered a powerful tool for eradicating poverty in many poor and developing countries, especially in Asia. The number of these groups has increased rapidly during the last few years; however, their efficacy to achieve long‐term poverty alleviation has been questioned by many researchers. Previous studies have focused mainly on objective indicators to understand the program's impact on the lives of its members, such as changes in the economic condition and the development of conceptual frameworks. The present study primarily focuses on member perceptions of the overall functioning of the self‐help group. A questionnaire survey was administered to 15 presidents and 75 group members belonging to 15 self‐help groups with active bank accounts in Chandigarh, a union territory of India. Drawing on their responses and perceptions, the five major problems faced by these groups were identified as: (i) ineffective group meetings, (ii) absence of income‐generating activities, (iii) lack of cooperation among members, (iv) lack of awareness, and (v) minimal savings. Our key recommendations include: (i) increased organizational support, (ii) focus on skill development, (iii) training and motivation, (iv) effective leadership, and (v) regular meetings.     

我国小额贷款公司发展偏差及对策研究

随着农村金融体制改革的不断推进，小额贷款公司在发展过程出现了偏差，目标偏移问题比较普遍。设立机构的动机存在误差、制度设计存在缺陷、缺乏全国统一的评价体系、金融监管框架不一、内控机制不够健全等因素造成了其在发展过程中存在布局不合理、支农目标偏移、过于商业化以及违规经营频繁等发展偏差。因此，要从明确法律地位，合理规划布局，加大财税政策扶持，加强内控制度建设，完善监管体系等方面促进小额贷款公司健康发展。     

小额信贷在西藏的实践评析

文章以通过长期演化而在世界范围内获得普遍认可的小额信贷典型机制和相应理论为规范,以实际调研获取的数据资料为佐证,力图规范分析和经验实证中国农业银行西藏自治区分行和西藏扶贫基金会在西藏农牧区开展小额信贷近10年所取得的成效.研究发现,在覆盖率和扶贫方面取得良好成效的同时,由于机构自身的性质和西藏农牧区经济的显著差异性,农行西藏分行和西藏扶贫基金会的小额信贷分别存在定位模糊、激励不足和拓展困难等问题.据此作者提出明确农行西藏分行的商业化定位,鼓励邮政银行西藏分行开展小额信贷以促进竞争和培育政策性小额信贷机构的政策建议.     

Participation in Income-Generating Activities and Help-Seeking for IPV in Bangladesh – Results from a National Survey of Women

Abstract

The present study examined whether there was an association between microfinance participation (i.e. microentrepreneurship) and help-seeking social networks and employment and help-seeking social networks of women who experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) in Bangladesh. The study is a secondary analysis of a subsample of 805 women (24.1% of the representative sample) who experienced IPV from the 2007 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) between the ages of 16 and 49?years. Results indicate that among the subsample of 805 respondents, 29.3% sought help for IPV. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that women who were employed all year round were significantly more likely and microfinance participants were marginally more to seek help for IPV than women who were not engaged in income-generating activities. Implications are discussed.     

小额信贷公司内部审计研究

随着经济的快速发展,正规金融体系已经无力满足所有竞争主体对资金的需求,随之出现一些新型金融组织;小额贷款公司的出现,成为支持“三农”小企业获取资金的强有力补充.在分析小额贷款公司产生、发展以及内部审计必要性的基础上,指出在监督缺位情况下的内部审计独立性、内部审计人员素质、内部审计方法等多方面存在问题.针对这些问题,经深入调研分析,提出了转变审计观念,提升内部审计独立性;多方位提高内部审计人员素质;引入信息处理系统、改进审计方法和手段等三方面建议和措施.     

民问资本进入微型金融领域的理论解读与现实表达

"新36条"明确了我国微型金融领域对民间资本的全面开放,这无论在理论层面还是现实层面均具有制度正当性与价值合理性。鉴于国际金融监管以及国内金融民营化的发展趋势,我国应当在微型金融监管中倡导私法治理理念的回归,采取"五位一体"多元分层的差别化分类监管模式,从市场准入条件、可持续发展保障、市场退出机制和配套扶持制度等多方面入手对民间资本进入微型金融领域的制度环境进行全方位优化。     

小额信贷对女性创业的金融支持研究

金融资源不足是女性创业最大的障碍,而小额信贷＂小额、联保、互助、分期、培训＂的制度设计具有交易成本低、提高创业能力、贷款风险内部化等优势,能有效解决女性创业者的资金需求、贷款担保、贷款偿还、创业培训及其向高层次创业转化等问题,应成为女性创业政策支持体系建设的重要内容。     

非政府（NGO）小额信贷问题研究——基于甘肃省安定区的调查

通过对开展NGO小额信贷服务的甘肃省安定区民富鑫荣小额信贷服务中心的走访和接受其服务的200户农户的问卷调研,从目标客户、贷款速度和满意度等方面进行了分析,得出NGO小额信贷存在产权制度模糊、融资来源不足、盈利性和扶贫性两者之间存在矛盾等问题,提出了推进产权制度改革、拓宽放贷资金来源和坚持可持续发展目标的政策建议。     

Microfinance Participation and Women's Decision-Making Power in the Household in Bangladesh

ABSTRACT

This study draws from bargaining theory to examine whether microfinance, a range of financial instruments such as micro-loans to support micro-enterprises, affects women's participation in household decision-making operationalized by whether women play a role in household decisions about large purchases, small purchases, going out to meet friends and family, and health care among a nationally representative sample of 6,150 women between the ages of 15 and 49 years in Bangladesh. Bargaining theory suggests that decision-making in households is conflictual but conflict can be mitigated through bargaining. Central to bargaining power of women is control over resources, assuming that household decision-making involves making economic decisions. Logistic regression analysis was used to test the interaction effect of microfinance and control over resources on decision-making power in the household utilizing the nationally representative Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2011. Results revealed that microfinance participants with control over resources reported higher odds of decision-making power (OR = 4.3, p < 0.05) when compared to microfinance participants without control over resources (OR = 1.22, p < 0.05) but less than women who did not participate in microfinance but had control over resources (OR = 5.2; p < 0.05). In conclusion, control over resources play an important role in bargaining that increases odds of having decision-making power in the household, even for women who do not participate in microfinance. The study findings contribute to both social work practice and research on low-income populations as it allows an understanding of the importance financial access and financial know-how while it sheds light on how precarious women's lives can be as they navigate income-generating financial systems that interfere with gender norms, which may have negative consequences. These findings are particularly important for practitioners working in the area of women's empowerment who would do well to emphasize the need for building financial capability so that women are able to garner control over their own and familial resources, whether or not they participate in empowerment programs like microfinance, which in turn gives women voice and agency. Meanwhile, future researchers are well positioned to examine the kinds of specific skills that best predict increases in women's decision-making power in the household as well how gender dynamics play into the decision-making process.     

贫困地区小额信贷的运行绩效

基于西北5省33县的宏观经济金融数据以及127家小额信贷机构2010-2013年财务数据,评价了贫困县的小额信贷运行绩效。既有研究缺乏对欠发达省份贫困县小额信贷机构运行绩效的评价,研究结果表明：超过半数以上的农村金融机构存在明显的目标客户偏移,而贫困县农户（尤其是特困户）面临的金融排斥最为严重;贫困县小额信贷服务机构的盈利性受到影响,但是存在提升的空间,并且盈利能力也在增强;小额信贷服务机构的盈利性与扶贫目标之间不存在权衡关系,而仅与机构类型、省份存在显著相关关系。由此,开展金融创新,提高扶贫业务的目标瞄准率,是贫困地区小额信贷扶贫政策调整的方向。