{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,4]],"date-time":"2026-04-04T14:04:16Z","timestamp":1775311456702,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":59,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,7,19]],"date-time":"2024-07-19T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1721347200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JRFM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This research examined factors that help microfinance achieve sustained poverty reduction based on a systematic literature review (SLR). A search was conducted on the SCOPUS database up to December 2023. After analyzing hundreds of documents, a subset of 30 articles was subject to in-depth analysis, exploring factors and corresponding measurement indicators for sustainable poverty reduction in microfinance contexts. This article emphasizes that sustained poverty reduction is a gradual process requiring ongoing efforts from both Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) and governments. Two key success factors are empowering borrowers and ensuring the microfinance programs themselves are profitable. When implemented in an integrated and coordinated manner, these factors can empower individuals to escape poverty by fostering self-employment and income generation, ultimately reducing dependence on external support. Additionally, the study highlights the role of personality traits in influencing long-term entrepreneurial success. The findings provide valuable tools for MFIs and policymakers. MFIs gain a practical framework to guide their interventions towards sustained poverty reduction. Policymakers can leverage the identified factors and indicators when designing and implementing microfinance policies with a long-term focus on poverty alleviation. This study breaks new ground by presenting an operational framework that categorizes and integrates two critical factor groups: empowerment and beneficiary profitability. Furthermore, it links these factors to corresponding measurement indicators within a unified framework, enabling a more holistic assessment of poverty reduction efforts.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jrfm17070309","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,7,19]],"date-time":"2024-07-19T13:12:57Z","timestamp":1721394777000},"page":"309","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":14,"title":["Factors Influencing Sustainable Poverty Reduction: A Systematic Review of the Literature with a Microfinance Perspective"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Salvador","family":"Fonseca","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Ministry of Planning and Finance of S\u00e3o Tom\u00e9 and Pr\u00edncipe, S\u00e3o Tome 168, Sao Tome and Principe"},{"name":"DEGEIT\u2014Department of Economics, Management and Industrial Engineering and Tourism, Campus Universit\u00e1rio de Santiago, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6613-8796","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ant\u00f3nio","family":"Moreira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"DEGEIT\u2014Department of Economics, Management and Industrial Engineering and Tourism, Campus Universit\u00e1rio de Santiago, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"},{"name":"GOVCOPP\u2014Research Unit on Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policies, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"},{"name":"NECE-UBI\u2014Research Center for Business Sciences, Universidade da Beira Interior, 6200-209 Covilh\u00e3, Portugal"},{"name":"CICEE\u2014Research Center in Business and Economics, Universidade Aut\u00f3noma de Lisboa, 1150-293 Lisboa, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Jorge","family":"Mota","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"DEGEIT\u2014Department of Economics, Management and Industrial Engineering and Tourism, Campus Universit\u00e1rio de Santiago, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"},{"name":"GOVCOPP\u2014Research Unit on Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policies, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"},{"name":"CICEE\u2014Research Center in Business and Economics, Universidade Aut\u00f3noma de Lisboa, 1150-293 Lisboa, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,7,19]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"999","DOI":"10.1108\/03074350911000052","article-title":"Microfinance institutions in Bangladesh: Achievements and challenges","volume":"35","author":"Ahmed","year":"2009","journal-title":"Managerial Finance"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"399","DOI":"10.1108\/IJSE-08-2020-0545","article-title":"Knowledge Mapping of Microfinance Performance Research: A Bibliometric Analysis","volume":"48","author":"Akter","year":"2021","journal-title":"International Journal of Social Economics"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"65","DOI":"10.1007\/s13132-021-00863-1","article-title":"Impact Analysis of Formal Microcredit on Income of Borrowers in Rural Areas of Sidama Region, Ethiopia: A Propensity Score Matching Approach","volume":"14","author":"Alemu","year":"2023","journal-title":"Journal of the Knowledge Economy"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Alhammadi, Salah (2023). 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