The overall objective of this report isto learn about the results of the International FinanceCorporation (IFC) ‘Banking on Women Program’ (BoW) inEurope, Central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa(EMENA) as well as other Banking on Women programs.Established in 2010, IFC’s ‘Banking on Women Program’ usesIFC’s investment capital to help financial institutionsaround the world with lending track records to small andmedium enterprises (SMEs) to profitably expand theirportfolios and provide women entrepreneurs with access tofinance. IFC also works with financial institutions todeepen their ability to reach women-owned businesses throughsegmenting their target market, positioning their brand andrepositioning their products to reach female borrowers.Garanti Bank Romania, BLC Bank in Lebanon, both IFC clientbanks, and Garanti Bank Turkey3, were selected for thispublication as individual case studies. Each of the threecase studies looks at the existing capacity and performanceof each of these banks in terms of serving womenentrepreneurs. In doing so, the study places particularemphasis on the extent to which these banks are able todeliver their women banking programs in a commerciallyviable, self-sufficient manner that is based on the bank’sown in-house resources and capacities. Where possible, eachstudy also aims to understand if and how the female borrowersegment has affected each bank’s business (bottom line,sustainability and growth targets). A separate and parallelassessment of this program looks at the impact of theprogram on the end beneficiaries, i.e. women-owned SMEs.This beneficiary survey will provide insights into howeffectively the bank’s female borrowers are reached andserved. Ultimately, this study aims to generate learning forIFC and its client banks in order to strengthen the designand delivery of the banks’ BoW program, as well as IFCengagements in this area.
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