Women take the lead in working towards a 'poverty-free world'
They key role female entrepreneurs play in global social and economic development has been highlighted by Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Laureate and pioneer of microcredit.
Yunus, who spearheads work to offer credit to the poorest people in rural Bangladesh for small business start-ups, reported that 97% of borrowers are women, and despite asking for no collateral the bank has a 98% repayment rate.
In a recent lecture at Oxford University, Yunus stated that the current financial crisis brings into focus the social failings of the current system, and calls for a social business approach which prioritises improving lives rather than profit. http://www.ox.ac.uk/media/news_stories/2008/081203_3.html