This study started from the premise that ensuring women’s voice and inclusion participation in economic decision making is critical for achieving women’s economic empowerment, and improving their economic participation. The study seeks to provide a review of the prevailing plural legal frameworks and customary rules as they relate to agency and participation and access to economic opportunities. The objective is to provide the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development with recommendations on how to design projects that better respond to women’s needs. Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey were selected because they exhibit similarities in respect of their social norms, all have low labour force participation rates despite high education levels, and they share elements of their cultural and Islamic heritage.