Document summary
It has become an established assumption of development economics that female poverty alleviation actively contributes to the social and economic development of nations. Microfinance has traditionally focused on women but has evolved to reach out to the broader population of poor customers around the world. Microfinance institutions with over 75% of women-focus continue to enjoy better portfolio quality, have better profitability despite higher operating costs, and have lower leverage, all while offering high outreach.