This is the Global Program Review (GPR)of the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP).Established in 1995 as a consortium of public and privatedonors with its secretariat located in the World Bank, themission of CGAP has been to help build efficient localfinancial markets that are integrated into the mainstreamfinancial system and that serve all the unbanked, includingvery poor and harder-to-reach clients with ever moreinnovative, convenient and affordable financial services.Its specific objectives have been to generate anddisseminate knowledge, to catalyze the movement towardgood-practice performance standards, and to build consensusamong its many and varied stakeholders. In pursuit of theseobjectives, CGAP's generic activities have consistedof: (a) providing advisory services, (b) developing andsetting standards, (c) advancing knowledge (including sectorintelligence and information sharing), and (d) offeringtraining and capacity building services.