Microenterprise Development Review: Volume 8: No. 1: June, 2005

Abstract

This issue of Microenterprise Development Review includes two main articles. The first one examines the evolution of specialized rating for microfinance institutions (MFIs). In the past five years this concept has gained increasing attention from a wide variety of market participants. The article tries to answer a series of questions on the topic: Why has specialized rating for microfinance come to be? How has it developed to where it is today? How might it evolve in the future? The second article provides an overview of microinsurance in Latin America and it explains its role as an alternative for reducing the vulnerability of low income people.