Brief Report on Microfinance's Present State in the World

This report by PlaNet Finance, proposes a synthesis of the main results of a study on the evolution of microfinance in the world. It is published by the Microcredit Summit Campaign, an American non-governmental organization. The report highlights:

• The objectives of the Microcredit Summit Campaign (the Campaign);
• The growth in the access to microfinance in the world.

It presents the data collected by the Campaign, providing information about:

• The number of clients with access to microcredit;
• The distribution of microfinance institutions (MFIs) over the world;
• The growth of microcredit for the poorest;
• Its outreach towards the poorest women.

The report identifies the following future challenges for microfinance:

• Resistance from international agencies to the allocation of funds to the poorest;
• The lack of poverty measurement tools.

The report concludes with a discussion of the following aspects of PlaNet Finance:

• Its role in supporting MFIs and accelerating their growth;
• Its members;
• Its success in mobilizing the private sector and the international community to support the microfinance sector.