Millennium Development Goals

In 2000, governments agreed on a set of MDGs to cut the proportion of people living in absolute poverty by 2015. INAFI sees a natural interconnection between microfinance and the MDGs, as the work of INAFI members complements the realization of the MDGs. Building sustainable social capital requires affirmative action within the alternative paradigm of microfinance, lending primary focus on elevating the poor’s capacity to direct their economic and social development.

The UN Millennium Campaign and INAFI agreed to launch a joint global campaign towards achieving the MDGs by mainstreaming the MDGs into the microfinance agenda at local and country levels. The UN Millennium Campaign and INAFI advocate greater participation and commitment by governments, civil societies, the private sector, and other stakeholders to reorient and promote microfinance initiatives towards the sustainable achievement of the MDGs. The joint campaign will endorse pro-poor policies and strengthen people’s capacity to define and access their rightful livelihood resources, hence ensuring their right to basic services.

Thematic Focus

• Promote microfinance to contribute to poverty reduction and to promote a holistic approach in ensuring access to universal primary education and reducing infant and maternal mortality.
• Support the expansion of demand-driven financial services to include microinsurance, remittance service, and other pro-poor financial products.
• Advocate preference for the extremely poor in microfinance programs to ensure food security and contribution to poverty reduction.
• Promote microfinance for special groups such as people affected by natural disasters and HIV/AIDS.�ffffected
• Use microfinance to mainstream gender balance and empower poor women.
• Measure the social impact of microfinance and other development interventions.