Rajwa is a 50 years old widow in the area of Karak, with five children. Her husband died 10 years ago. In January 2000, she received a collateral-free loan of JD 2,100 (US$ 3,000) from the ACC/IFAD Income Diversification Project, repayable over 8 years. She bought 20 sheep, which have increased...

Policymakers in Syria are seriously concerned (a) about social equality and equal opportunities for women and men; and (b) about the effectiveness of financial institutions in providing adequate services to men, women and youth to fight poverty and reduce unemployment. Considerable social...