Investing in Solutions: A Practical Guide for the Use of Microfinance in UNHCR operations

The practical guide builds upon the UNHCR/ILO Introduction to Microfinance in Conflict-Affected Communities (2002) and Lessons Learned from UNHCR’s Experiences with Microfinance (June 2010), as well as evolving practices in the field of microfinance. It aims to update and replace the guidance provided in Chapter 4 of the UNHCR Programming Manual.2 The guide is meant to provide practical information and tools to assess the appropriateness of microfinance in a conflict-affected community; and if relevant, to help design sustainable microfinance interventions that will help UNHCR to meet its protection objectives. The guide provides concrete tools to help design, monitor and evaluate sustainable microfinance projects, including sample templates, formats, and checklists.