It has a mandate to follow and evaluate mainstreaming women’s needs in national policies and supporting the production of budgets sensitive to the needs of women. In the Palestinian Authority, the situation is different due to the fact that the split between Hamas and Fatah has impeded the functioning of the Palestinian Legislative Committee since 2007. To strengthen the legislature’s role in this area, countries may increase women’s representation in legislatures, which is known to increase attention to gender issues and strengthen the mandates of parliamentary' committees to oversee the progress of women’s empowerment.