This is despite (or because of) its attendant market deregulation, attrition of the public realm, and the increasingly crowded and competitive scramble for an advantageous spot in the emerging international division of labour. It has largely followed a supply-side approach, one that overlooks the fact that individuals are already integrated into the global economy, but on exclusionary terms that stem from prevailing rules, norms and policies. The global policy narrative on women’s economic empowerment, which seems to focus largely on their inclusion in markets, is an example of this limited perspective.