摘要：Although microfinance in developing countries is mostly used as a tool to lift poor women out of
poverty, it is also increasingly being used as a medium to involve women into democratization
process at the local level. The strength of Microfinance Institutions (MFI) as a mobilization
medium is that they are able to reach large number of poor women because of a widely spread
need for financial services. In this study, the author assesses the relevance of microfinance as a
medium to foster democratization through the case study of CADD (Cercle d¡¯Autopromotion
pour le D¨¦veloppement Durable), a MFI with which the author had first-hand experience. Based
in Benin, CADD regroups 3500 women that are directly involved into the democratization
process. While CADD¡¯s mobilization of women is unique in that it regroups an unprecedented
number of women in political struggle, this study finds that women¡¯s involvement into the
democratization is not fruitful because of the very financial and business oriented nature of the
MFI.
