LAWS6271 - Microfinance: Law and Policy

Objectives

To enable students to understand and critically analyse the legal and policy issues relevant to national and international efforts to alleviate poverty through the provision of formal financial services to the poor. There are approximately 2.7 billion people who do not have access to such services.
To give students the tools to be able to apply their knowledge in positions with national and international governments, regulatory bodies, development and aid organisations and with consultancy firms, policy advisory bodies, academic institutions as well as with financial institutions and other organisations involved in the provision of financial services.

Content

The unit will be taught by reference to practical case studies from a variety of countries as well as legal and policy considerations and will include the following content:

The concepts of “microfinance” and “financial inclusion” and a brief analysis of relevant economic issues
The legal and institutional infrastructure relevant to financial inclusion
An introduction to innovative microfinance models ( such as the group lending model made famous by Mohammed Yunis and Grameen Bank and the M-Pesa mobile banking model in Kenya)
Legal and policy issues arising from new business models
Current policy issues such as over-indebtedness, commercialisation of microfinance, the case for direct government support, impact evaluation, gender issues and possible legal and policy responses
Current financial inclusion initiatives by international bodies such as G20, the World Bank, the Asia- Pacific Economic Co-operation Group (APEC), the Basel Committee of the Bank of International Settlements (Basel) and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)
National strategies for financial inclusion: country case studies
Transformation of unregulated not for profit financial institutions into regulated commercial entities
Best practice regulatory principles to enhance access to finance

Session

Semester 2 Intensive
10-12 & 14 October 2013

The timetable is subject to frequent changes. Please refer to the latest version of the Postgraduate Timetable.

Assessment

Class Presentation (20%)
1 x 5,000 Word Essay (80%)

Legal Professional Development (LPD)

You can credit this unit towards Legal Professional Development (LPD). Units of study that are part of Sydney Law School’s Postgraduate Program meet the necessary Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) of the Law Society of New South Wales and the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements of the New South Wales Bar Association. You may complete this unit of study by enrolling on a non-degree basis or on an audit basis only with no assessment via Single Unit Enrolment.

Courses this unit is available in

The University of Sydney - Sydney Law School