Microfinance has ushered in a new understanding of the needs of the poor and the potential for financial services to enable the poor to escape from poverty. Current literature argues over the way how microfinance has enabled users to climb above the poverty line.

This report explores how microfinance could boost current efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. The relationships between specific Goal and microfinance are explored, together with the potential for mutual benefits between both. Why this potential has not been a higher priority for the microfinance sector is also considered.

This report argues that substantial synergies are yet to be realized between microfinance and Goals, based on careful, well- targeted approaches that are not only pro-poor, but also focus on the unique situation of the chronic poor.

This report provides a comprehensive review of the challenges for low and moderate income housing. It focuses on the issues of affordability, accessibility and sustainability in resolving the housing problem. It looks at both formal and informal instruments and how experiences in developed countries and instruments in addressing middle income households can help inspire solutions for low and moderate income housing.

The report examines a whole range of major instruments and experiences across the developing and developed worlds. It will provide inspirations for governments, local authorities, partners, private sectors and civil society in their pursuit of innovative instruments to meet the challenges of affordability, accessibility and sustainability in realising the vision of “adequate shelter for all”.