Economic Inclusion Project Introduces ‘The Practical Guide for the Financial Inclusion of the Refugee and Migrant Population’

LIMA, Peru— The USAID/World Council of Credit Unions’ (WOCCU) Economic Inclusion Project in March introduced to more than 100 representatives of Peru’s financial sector a formal guide that will help them identify the types of assistance refugee and migrant populations need to access formal financial services, and the best practices to help facilitate their financial inclusion.

Executives from FENACREP, WOCCU’s direct member credit union association in Peru, and several other financial services’ associations were on hand for the launch of ”The Practical Guide for the Financial Inclusion of the Refugee and Migrant Population”, which includes specific information on:

• the types of identification documents refugee and migrant populations carry and the mechanisms for validating the information contained in them.
• ways to facilitate the design of strategies that promote the financial inclusion of refugees and migrants in Peru.
• The identification of sound practices currently implemented by financial service providers who work with these populations.

In the last decade, Peru has shown a commitment to promote financial inclusion through its National Financial Inclusion Policy and its Multisectoral Strategic Plan. The position stated in the National Financial Inclusion Policy is that more inclusion in the formal financial system will lead to improving the economic well-being of the population, promote economic development and financial stability, and provide for a more competition and productivity.

Danielle Spinard, Director of the Regional Office of Health and Migration for USAID Peru, spoke at the event, along with Armando Garcia Chunga, Peru’s National Superintendent of Migrations, and Mariella Zaldivar, Assistant Superintendent of Market Conduct and Financial Inclusion of Peru’s SBS.

The Economic Inclusion Project also plans to introduce a second version of “The Practical Guide for the Financial Inclusion of the Refugee and Migrant Population” in Ecuador.

World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) is the global trade association for the credit union movement, advancing cooperative finance worldwide. Through advocacy, education and more than 300 technical assistance programs in 90 countries, WOCCU advances financial inclusion and strengthens cooperative finance across diverse markets. Globally, more than 67,000 credit unions across over 100 countries serve more than 412 million people and hold over $3.8 Trillion (USD) in assets. Learn more at www.woccu.org.

Contact: Liz Stanislawski
Organization: World Council of Credit Unions
E-mail: lstanislawski@woccu.org

Danielle Spinard, USAID Peru

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