IBI focuses on the business case for gender mainstreaming. It is not just a euphemism for advancing women We examine constraints and opportunities for both men and women, finding creative ways to cooperate for the success of organizations in which all have a stake. That said, we believe that advancing women's interests generally requires overcoming more cultural and legal practices than those concerning men. We begin our mainstreaming work with an analysis of capacity building needs and focus groups to clarify priorities and the impact of local cultures on gender roles.

IBI assisted in the organizational development of the West African Businesswomen's Network (WABNET) with USAID/WARP funding. We facilitated meetings and advised the regional secretariat and national chapters on strategic planning and management. We provided linkages to network members and other businesswomen's organizations, training on financial management, leadership, and trade opportunities, and identified barriers to regional trade. IBI facilitated focus groups in several countries, including Guinea, Niger, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria and used the findings to structure discussions to improve regional trade and investment processes. As a result, the West African Businesswomen's Network became a strong advocate for lower trade and investment barriers that affect women entrepreneurs. 195 women learned to use the internet for the first time to communicate among themselves and to identify clients and suppliers around the world.

In Mali, IBI successfully provided a full range of gender-mainstreaming analysis and implementation to bring out women's creative energies and business skills. Our Malian gender specialist was trained in mainstreaming methodologies and the differences between gender mainstreaming and simply strengthening the role of women. IBI's mainstreaming specialist conducted an in-depth gender analysis of the mango value chain and similar analyses for rice, potatoes, and red meat. The subsequent stakeholder workshops revealed how gender mainstreaming could improve access to opportunity for both men and women.