Microfinance for Post-Conflict Peacebuilding
Abstract
This paper explores the effectiveness of microfinance as a tool for post-conflict peacebuilding. Economic despair is a central component of recurring conflict. Microfinance has proven itself to be an effective tool for raising the poorest of societies to sustainable economic levels. Microfinance Institutions are essentially banks for the poor that provide small amounts of credit for microenterprises. Countries can use microfinance to establish collective lending groups that will provide their people with a means of getting out of poverty after longstanding conflict. In the last decade, microfinance has proven its effectiveness as a tool for fostering economic development in many regions recovering from conflict. Today, microfinance institutions exist in over 100 countries. As of 2006, an estimated one hundred million people had received microfinance services in some form. The paper presents ways of leveraging microfinance for peacebuilding and stability operations, and case studies of peacebuilding-oriented microfinance.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 21, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA593243
Entities
People
- Marc S. Gauthier
Organizations
- George Mason University