Implementing Client Protection in Microfinance: The State of the Practice, 2011

This report explains how stakeholders throughout the microfinance industry are graduating from awareness raising about client protection to capacity building, implementation and certification. It analyzes how the industry is doing on the Client Protection Principles (CPPs) introduced in 2008 to make the commitment to client well being explicit and actionable. This paper gathered information on CPP implementation through case studies, self reported data by MFIs and third party assessments. Preventing over indebtedness, transparency, and staff ethics are some of the principles that constitute CPP. The research concludes by providing some assurance that the current state of practice among MFIs supports the basic tenets of client protection. But there is more to be done to ensure clients around the world are fully assured of safe, respectful, and transparent treatment.