The Gender Network held its first regional workshop in Bamako from March 3-5, 2004. The workshop brought together 40 participants from 7 countries in West Africa and Uganda, including both men and women parliamentarians and representatives of civil society, to reflect on the question of "The Economic Empowerment of Women Through Microfinance". Co-sponsored by the National Assembly of Mali, the workshop meant to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of microfinance as a strategy for economic empowerment of women and for Parliamentarians to define their role in that approach. The program included presentations on microfinance and on legal issues relating to economic empowerment of women, as well as a project visit and led to the drawing up of an action plan for follow-up actions in participants' respective parliaments and constituencies.

It was unanimously agreed that the budget was the most important mechanism for ensuring economic empowerment of women and hence MPs had to be conversant with the budget cycle process in order to effectively exercise their oversight role. Recommendations for concrete actions by MPs include:

• Gender based budget analysis to ensure the allocation of sufficient funds to ministries and departments involved in programs and projects addressing gender equality issues.
• Monitoring governments’ implementation of the various international conventions on gender equality and lobbying for a quota system for appointments to senior positions including micro-finance institutions.
• Monitoring the performance of institutions dealing with micro-finance to ensure that the funds reach the intended recipients.
• Examining tax laws with a view to recommending amendments or the introduction of new laws that are gender sensitive.
• Dissemination of information on sources of micro-finance and training opportunities.