Nov 26, 2019

Relive the European Microfinance Week ( #emw2019 ) plenary sessions on 'Strengthening resilience to climate change through financial inclusion'; 'Protecting the working poor in the 21st Century through responsible finance' and 'Responsible client choices in finance: Whose responsibility is it?' in the videos:

Opening Plenary: 'Strengthening resilience to climate change through financial inclusion'

It's now a tradition that the European Microfinance Week opens with a plenary session featuring the finalists of the European Microfinance Award, the 100,000 prize awarded by the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. This year on the topic of "Strengthening resilience to climate change", the Award aims to highlight the critical role the financial inclusion sector plays at strengthening the resilience of vulnerable communities to the effects of climate change.

Welcome words: Christoph Pausch, European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP)
Opening remarks: Manuel Tonnar, Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs
Keynote speech: Tim McDonnell, Journalist and National Geographic Explorer
Moderator: Natalia Realpe Carrillo, HEDERA
European Microfinance Award 2019 Finalists: Sarfraz Shah, APA Insurance Ltd. (Kenya); Rolando Victoria, ASKI Group of Companies, Inc. (Philippines); Pedro Emilio Marchetti, Financiera Fondo de Desarrollo Local, FDL (Nicaragua)

Friday morning plenary: 'Protecting the working poor in the 21st Century through responsible finance'

2019 marks the Centenary of the International Labour Organization – a century that has seen tremendous improvements in protection of workers, in terms of working hours, health and safety conditions, growth of unions, but also in reduction of child labour and forced labour around the world. However, massive increases in population (especially in low-income countries), global consumer supply chains that originate in the factories of the South and East, the informalization of enterprises and employment contracts, and growing urban migration all mean that there remains much to be done. How do we take the progress that has been made forward, and how can responsible finance ensure that workers are protected from harm and offered new opportunities for prosperity?

Moderator: Craig Churchill, International Labour Organization (ILO)
Speakers: Khady Sakho, FORIM; Maya Kobalia, JSC MFO Crystal (Georgia); Guy Stuart, Microfinance Opportunities (MFO); Rehana Riyawala, SEWA (India)

 

Closing Plenary: 'Responsible client choices in finance: Whose responsibility is it?'

While client protection is a foundation of responsible finance, implementing it requires wrestling with a fundamental question: when does protection become a paternalistic limitation on client choice? Among responsible finance adherents, there is universal agreement that clients should be provided with clear, simple information in order to make financial decisions. But often this is seen as insufficient, and institutions and regulations go further, limiting or prohibiting certain practices because they are deemed irresponsible -- thus also limiting client choices. We explore the challenge of balancing between these two objectives -- client choice and client protection.

Moderator: Daniel Rozas, European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP)
Speakers: Mayada El-Zoghbi, CFI at Accion; Gerhard Coetzee, CGAP; Timothy N Ogden, Financial Access Initiative; Roshaneh Zafar, Kashf Foundation (Pakistan)

More on EMW 2019 here

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