Developing a National Policy Framework for the Microfinance Sector in Palestine

In 2008, with encouragement from MFIs and some donors, the Palestine Monetary Authority (PMA), the regulator of commercial banks, decided to bring microfinance under its purview in order to both professionalize the industry and promote its balanced growth. With direct engagement from both local and international stakeholders, and with technical assistance from ESAF, the Task Force led an iterative process that allowed stakeholders to debate and explore diverging approaches to develop a shared National Policy Framework for the Microfinance Sector in Palestine. This Brief discusses that process and the highlights of the resulting document.