Espallier d' B. auteur aut IRD Guérin Isabelle auteur aut IRD Mersland R. auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf born digital access This paper uses a global data set of 350 microfinance institutions (MFIs) in 70 countries to study the common belief that women are generally better credit risks in microfinance than men. The results confirm that a higher percentage of female clients in MFIs is associated with lower portfolio risk, fewer write-offs, and fewer provisions, all else being equal. Interaction effects reveal that, while focus on women is generally associated with enhanced repayment, this trend is stronger for nongovernmental organizations, individual-based lenders, and regulated MFIs. specialized microfinance gender women repayment portfolio at risk write-offs 095 094 39 5 758-772 2011 0305-750X https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010053543 10.1016/j.worlddev.2010.10.008 0305-750X [F B010053543] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010053543 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/intranet/publi/2011/05/010053543.pdf Accès réservé (Intranet de l'IRD) IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2011-05-31 2025-11-13 fdi:010053543 fre