The document discusses a survey of gender indicators conducted by Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX). MIX tested the ease of use, usefulness, and prevalence of tracking for various gender indicators among microfinance institutions (MFIs) that focus on gender equality and a control group. The indicators tested included the percentage of new female borrowers, female borrower retention rate, average female loan balance, portfolio at risk for women, and female staff retention rate. Most indicators were found to be easy to track and useful, though data collection was inconsistent. The survey also found that MFIs generally had low representation of women on staff and boards, regardless of their gender focus. MIX aims to be a leading source of microfinance data and analysis

1. Microfinance Information Exchange
Gender Indicators Test
Micol Pistelli
Amman, November 20th, 2013
The Premier Source for Microfinance
Data and Analysis
This presentation is the proprietary and/or confidential information of MIX, and all rights are reserved by MIX. Any dissemination, distribution or copying of this
presentation without MIX’s prior written permission is strictly prohibited.

2. The survey
 66 replies
 Gender-equality
focused MFIs
vs. Control group
Genderfocused
Control group
East Asia and the Pacific
(EAP)
3
4
Easter Europe and Central
Asia (ECA)
11
8
Latin America and the
Caribbean (LAC)
19
6
Middle East and North
Africa (MENA)
2
1
South Asia
7
1
Africa
4
0
46
20
REGION
TOTAL
2
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3. INDICATOR 1: Percentage of new female
borrowers
EASY?
Yes
No
Gender-focused
44
2
Control group
19
1

Easy and useful…but
not commonly tracked
USEFUL?
Yes
No
I don't know
Gender-focused
43
0
0
Control group
15
2
3
3
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presentation without MIX’s prior written permission is strictly prohibited.

4. INDICATOR 2: Female borrowers retention rate
Borrower retention rate – MIX’s formula
Number of active borrowers current year / (New borrowers current year + Number of active borrowers
previous year).
In our example, FY2012 is the current year and FY2011 is the previous year.
EASY?
Gender-focused
Control group
Yes
44
19
USEFUL?
Gender-focused
Control group
Yes
43
15
Data show that female retention
rate is higher
No
2
1
No
0
2
I don't know
0
3

Easy and useful…but
not commonly tracked
4
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presentation without MIX’s prior written permission is strictly prohibited.

5. INDICATOR 3: Average female loan balance
EASY?
Yes
No
Gender-focused
44
2
 Easy, useful and
Control group
18
2
tracked
USEFUL?
Yes
No
I don't know
Gender-focused
43
2
1
Control group
15
3
2
5
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presentation without MIX’s prior written permission is strictly prohibited.

6. Average loan balance from a gender lens
Survey – Average loan balance FY2012 (in USD)
Median
Average
Gender-focused
Female
Male
725
1128
1078
1325
Control group
Female
Male
708
975
997
1349
25th percentile
260
680
375
662
75th percentile
1328
1697
1181
1774
MIX – Average loan balance FY2012 (in USD)
GLOBAL
Median
Average
25th percentile
75th percentile
Female
871
1574
379
1783
Male
1170
2044
527
2196
…with wide regional
differences
6
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presentation without MIX’s prior written permission is strictly prohibited.

7. INDICATOR 4: Portfolio at risk >30 by gender
EASY?
Yes
No
Valid answer
Gender-focused
25
20
25
Control group
18
2
13

Useful but not so
USEFUL?
Gender-focused
Control group
Yes
42
15
No
1
3
I don't know
0
2
easy and not consistently
tracked
7
This presentation is the proprietary and/or confidential information of MIX, and all rights are reserved by MIX. Any dissemination, distribution or copying of this
presentation without MIX’s prior written permission is strictly prohibited.

8. INDICATOR 5: Female staff retention rate
EASY?
Yes
No
Gender-focused
44
1
Control group
18
2
 Easy, useful and
tracked
USEFUL?
Yes
No
I don't know
Gender-focused
37
2
5
Control group
12
5
3
8
This presentation is the proprietary and/or confidential information of MIX, and all rights are reserved by MIX. Any dissemination, distribution or copying of this
presentation without MIX’s prior written permission is strictly prohibited.

9. MFIs show low female representation across
staff and Board
Survey - % female staff
Median
Average
25th percentile
75th percentile
Gender-focused
(total, 44)
37.1
40.39
27.71
50
Gender-focused
(excluding South Asia, 39)
40.48
43.35
17.2
93
Control
group
47.08
42.91
35
53.01
No correlation between gender equality agenda and presence of
women among staff
MIX data:
 Asia is the region with the lowest percentage of female staff
 Women are still low represented at the board and management
level
9
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presentation without MIX’s prior written permission is strictly prohibited.

10. Other indicators tested
Financial literacy by gender

Useful but difficult
Poverty outreach
Clients’ children at school
to track and report on
Unclear how useful and
difficult to track and report on
10
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presentation without MIX’s prior written permission is strictly prohibited.

11. MIX Global and Project Partners
MIX partners with a dedicated group of industry leaders:
11
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presentation without MIX’s prior written permission is strictly prohibited.

12. Microfinance Information Exchange
Headquarters:
1901 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 307
Washington, D.C. 20006 USA
Visit us on the Web:
www.themix.org
www.mixmarket.org
Regional Offices:
Baku, Azerbaijan
Contact us: info@themix.org
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Baku, Azerbaijan
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This presentation is the proprietary and/or confidential information of MIX, and all rights are reserved by MIX. Any dissemination, distribution or copying of this
presentation without MIX’s prior written permission is strictly prohibited.