Luxembourg-based European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP) has unveiled the lineup for this year's European Microfinance Week (EMW), which is taking place online from 17 to 19 November 2021.
The virtual event will bring together leading experts to share their experience on key topics such as climate change, access to inclusive health care, digital finance, impact and outcomes measurement, green finance and client protection, among others.
Over 40 sessions are on the agenda, with guest speakers including: Laura Foose, Executive Director of the Social Performance Task Force (SPTF); Olivier Edelman, Head of the Microfinance Unit at the European Investment Bank (EIB); Lucia Spaggiari, Business Development Manager at MicroFinanza Rating (MFR / ATLAS platform); Juan Carlos Izaguirre, Senior Financial Sector Specialist at the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP); Safeya Zeitun, Head of Impact at Tameo Solutions; Koen The, Co-Founder and CEO of Lendahand.
Topics to be addressed on the first day, Wednesday 17 November, include green inclusive and climate smart finance, the future of inclusive finance, inclusive finance and health care and investing in microfinance through funds.
On Thursday 18 November, topics include impact and outcomes measurement, chatbots for financial inclusion, COVID-19 and the financial inclusion value chain and women leadership. The European Microfinance Award 2021 ceremony is scheduled for Thursday afternoon.
On the final day of this three-day virtual event, Friday 19 November, various panel sessions and workshops will be held on topics such as the regulatory harmonisation of social performance indicators, innovative financing structures to inclusive financial institutions, remittance, responsible human resource development, fintech partnerships to strengthen financial inclusion and the role of women's financial inclusion in women's economic empowerment. The closing plenary will focus on "Crisis and opportunity - Where are we now?".
Further information, including the full programme, is available at https://registration.european-microfinance-week.eu/website/27793/agenda/.
