The purpose of this article is to present the underpinning for a gendered approach to the M4P framework. It draws on a paper that was prepared for the M4P Hub, and presented and discussed at an M4P Hub Conference, an online conference hosted by SDC, and a two-day in-person seminar held by SDC in Bern in May 2012. This paper summarizes the conceptual findings of the published paper, provides field examples, and offers an approach for explicitly incorporating women's economic empowerment in the M4P framework. The paper first unpacks and then lays out common elements of the definition and guiding principles of women's economic empowerment, and assesses how M4P stacks up against these definitions and principles. The paper then explores the opportunities and challenges that are presented by a market-oriented perspective on women's empowerment, drawing on experiences of M4P programmes.

Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID) (2004) ‘Intersectionality: A tool for gender and economic justice’, Women's Rights and Economic Change No. 9, August 2004, p.1, Toronto: Association for Women's Rights in Development.

Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and UN Women (2011) Speeches by Honourable Bev Oda, CIDA Minister, and Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director, UN Women, CIDA UN Conference, Ottawa, 3-5 October 2011.

Chant, S. and Pedwell, C. (2008) Women, Gender and the Informal Economy: An Assessment of ILO Research and Suggested Ways Forward, Geneva: International Labour Office.

Department for International Development (DFID) (2011) Promoting the Financial Inclusion of Women and Girls: A Toolkit (June 2011 draft), p. 12, London: DFID.

Donor Committee for Enterprise Development ‘Measuring and reporting results: The DCED Standard’ <www.enterprise-development.org/page/measuring-and-reporting-results≯ [accessed 18 October 2012]. www.enterprise-development.org/page/measuring-and-reporting-results

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) (2011) Communicating Gender for Rural Development: Integrating Gender in Communication for Development, Dimitra Project, Rome: FAO.

Golla, A., Malhotra, A., Nanda, P. and Mehra, R. (2011) Understanding and Measuring Women's Economic Empowerment: Definition, Framework and Indicators [website], Washington, DC: International Center for Research on Women <www.icrw.org/publications/understanding-and-measuring-womenseconomic-empowerment≯ [accessed 18 October 2012]. www.icrw.org/publications/understanding-and-measuring-womenseconomic-empowerment

Hakemulder, R. and Miller, M.E. (2012) M4P and Women's Economic Empowerment - Phase 2: Guidelines for Incorporating WEE into M4P Programmes, Report for the M4P Hub. Available at: www.m4phub.org/userfiles/file/12007XR%20Final%20Report.pdf [accessed 29 October 2012]. www.m4phub.org/userfiles/file/12007XR%20Final%20Report.pdf

Kabeer, N., Mahmud, S. and Tasneem, S. (2011) Does Paid Work Provide a Pathway to Women's Empowerment? Empirical Findings from Bangladesh, IDS Working Paper No. 375, Brighton, UK: Institute of Development Studies.

Mayoux, L. and Mackie, G. (2007) Making the Strongest Links: A Practical Guide to Mainstreaming Gender in Value Chain Analysis, Geneva: International Labour Office (ILO).

Reemer, T. (2011) Gender Justice in Pro-Poor Value Chain Development, The Hague: Oxfam Novib.

Ruiz Abril, M.E. (2009) ‘Women's Economic Empowerment in Conflict and Post-conflict Countries’, a policy paper in Sida's Women's Economic Empowerment Series, Stockholm: Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Simon-Kumar, R. (2011) ‘The analytics of “gendering” the post-neoliberal state’, Social Politics 18: 441-68 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/sp/jxr018≯.

Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) (2009) Gender Equality in Practice: A Manual for SIDA, Stockholm: Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) (2003) Gender Policy: Gender Equality - A Key for Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Development, Bern: SDC/FDA (Federal Department of Foreign Affairs).

The Springfield Centre (2008a) A Synthesis of the Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) Approach, Bern: SDC/FDA (Federal Department of Foreign Affairs).

The Springfield Centre (2008b) Perspectives on the Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) Approach, Bern: SDC/FDA (Federal Department of Foreign Affairs).

The Springfield Centre (2008c) The Operational Guide for the Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) Approach, London: DFID and Bern: SDC/FDA (Federal Department of Foreign Affairs).

World Bank (2011) World Development Report 2012: Gender Equality and Development, Washington, DC: World Bank.

Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID) (2004) ‘Intersectionality: A tool for gender and economic justice’, Women's Rights and Economic Change No. 9, August 2004, p.1, Toronto: Association for Women's Rights in Development.

Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and UN Women (2011) Speeches by Honourable Bev Oda, CIDA Minister, and Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director, UN Women, CIDA UN Conference, Ottawa, 3-5 October 2011.

Chant, S. and Pedwell, C. (2008) Women, Gender and the Informal Economy: An Assessment of ILO Research and Suggested Ways Forward, Geneva: International Labour Office.

Department for International Development (DFID) (2011) Promoting the Financial Inclusion of Women and Girls: A Toolkit (June 2011 draft), p. 12, London: DFID.

Donor Committee for Enterprise Development ‘Measuring and reporting results: The DCED Standard’ <www.enterprise-development.org/page/measuring-and-reporting-results≯ [accessed 18 October 2012]. www.enterprise-development.org/page/measuring-and-reporting-results

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) (2011) Communicating Gender for Rural Development: Integrating Gender in Communication for Development, Dimitra Project, Rome: FAO.

Golla, A., Malhotra, A., Nanda, P. and Mehra, R. (2011) Understanding and Measuring Women's Economic Empowerment: Definition, Framework and Indicators [website], Washington, DC: International Center for Research on Women <www.icrw.org/publications/understanding-and-measuring-womenseconomic-empowerment≯ [accessed 18 October 2012]. www.icrw.org/publications/understanding-and-measuring-womenseconomic-empowerment

Hakemulder, R. and Miller, M.E. (2012) M4P and Women's Economic Empowerment - Phase 2: Guidelines for Incorporating WEE into M4P Programmes, Report for the M4P Hub. Available at: www.m4phub.org/userfiles/file/12007XR%20Final%20Report.pdf [accessed 29 October 2012]. www.m4phub.org/userfiles/file/12007XR%20Final%20Report.pdf

Kabeer, N., Mahmud, S. and Tasneem, S. (2011) Does Paid Work Provide a Pathway to Women's Empowerment? Empirical Findings from Bangladesh, IDS Working Paper No. 375, Brighton, UK: Institute of Development Studies.

Mayoux, L. and Mackie, G. (2007) Making the Strongest Links: A Practical Guide to Mainstreaming Gender in Value Chain Analysis, Geneva: International Labour Office (ILO).

Reemer, T. (2011) Gender Justice in Pro-Poor Value Chain Development, The Hague: Oxfam Novib.

Ruiz Abril, M.E. (2009) ‘Women's Economic Empowerment in Conflict and Post-conflict Countries’, a policy paper in Sida's Women's Economic Empowerment Series, Stockholm: Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Simon-Kumar, R. (2011) ‘The analytics of “gendering” the post-neoliberal state’, Social Politics 18: 441-68 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/sp/jxr018≯.

Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) (2009) Gender Equality in Practice: A Manual for SIDA, Stockholm: Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) (2003) Gender Policy: Gender Equality - A Key for Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Development, Bern: SDC/FDA (Federal Department of Foreign Affairs).

The Springfield Centre (2008a) A Synthesis of the Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) Approach, Bern: SDC/FDA (Federal Department of Foreign Affairs).

The Springfield Centre (2008b) Perspectives on the Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) Approach, Bern: SDC/FDA (Federal Department of Foreign Affairs).

The Springfield Centre (2008c) The Operational Guide for the Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) Approach, London: DFID and Bern: SDC/FDA (Federal Department of Foreign Affairs).

World Bank (2011) World Development Report 2012: Gender Equality and Development, Washington, DC: World Bank.

Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID) (2004) ‘Intersectionality: A tool for gender and economic justice’, Women's Rights and Economic Change No. 9, August 2004, p.1, Toronto: Association for Women's Rights in Development.

Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and UN Women (2011) Speeches by Honourable Bev Oda, CIDA Minister, and Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director, UN Women, CIDA UN Conference, Ottawa, 3-5 October 2011.

Chant, S. and Pedwell, C. (2008) Women, Gender and the Informal Economy: An Assessment of ILO Research and Suggested Ways Forward, Geneva: International Labour Office.

Department for International Development (DFID) (2011) Promoting the Financial Inclusion of Women and Girls: A Toolkit (June 2011 draft), p. 12, London: DFID.

Donor Committee for Enterprise Development ‘Measuring and reporting results: The DCED Standard’ <www.enterprise-development.org/page/measuring-and-reporting-results≯ [accessed 18 October 2012]. www.enterprise-development.org/page/measuring-and-reporting-results

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) (2011) Communicating Gender for Rural Development: Integrating Gender in Communication for Development, Dimitra Project, Rome: FAO.

Golla, A., Malhotra, A., Nanda, P. and Mehra, R. (2011) Understanding and Measuring Women's Economic Empowerment: Definition, Framework and Indicators [website], Washington, DC: International Center for Research on Women <www.icrw.org/publications/understanding-and-measuring-womenseconomic-empowerment≯ [accessed 18 October 2012]. www.icrw.org/publications/understanding-and-measuring-womenseconomic-empowerment

Hakemulder, R. and Miller, M.E. (2012) M4P and Women's Economic Empowerment - Phase 2: Guidelines for Incorporating WEE into M4P Programmes, Report for the M4P Hub. Available at: www.m4phub.org/userfiles/file/12007XR%20Final%20Report.pdf [accessed 29 October 2012]. www.m4phub.org/userfiles/file/12007XR%20Final%20Report.pdf

Kabeer, N., Mahmud, S. and Tasneem, S. (2011) Does Paid Work Provide a Pathway to Women's Empowerment? Empirical Findings from Bangladesh, IDS Working Paper No. 375, Brighton, UK: Institute of Development Studies.

Mayoux, L. and Mackie, G. (2007) Making the Strongest Links: A Practical Guide to Mainstreaming Gender in Value Chain Analysis, Geneva: International Labour Office (ILO).

Reemer, T. (2011) Gender Justice in Pro-Poor Value Chain Development, The Hague: Oxfam Novib.

Ruiz Abril, M.E. (2009) ‘Women's Economic Empowerment in Conflict and Post-conflict Countries’, a policy paper in Sida's Women's Economic Empowerment Series, Stockholm: Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Simon-Kumar, R. (2011) ‘The analytics of “gendering” the post-neoliberal state’, Social Politics 18: 441-68 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/sp/jxr018≯.

Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) (2009) Gender Equality in Practice: A Manual for SIDA, Stockholm: Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) (2003) Gender Policy: Gender Equality - A Key for Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Development, Bern: SDC/FDA (Federal Department of Foreign Affairs).

The Springfield Centre (2008a) A Synthesis of the Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) Approach, Bern: SDC/FDA (Federal Department of Foreign Affairs).

The Springfield Centre (2008b) Perspectives on the Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) Approach, Bern: SDC/FDA (Federal Department of Foreign Affairs).

The Springfield Centre (2008c) The Operational Guide for the Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) Approach, London: DFID and Bern: SDC/FDA (Federal Department of Foreign Affairs).

World Bank (2011) World Development Report 2012: Gender Equality and Development, Washington, DC: World Bank.

Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID) (2004) ‘Intersectionality: A tool for gender and economic justice’, Women's Rights and Economic Change No. 9, August 2004, p.1, Toronto: Association for Women's Rights in Development.

Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and UN Women (2011) Speeches by Honourable Bev Oda, CIDA Minister, and Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director, UN Women, CIDA UN Conference, Ottawa, 3-5 October 2011.

Chant, S. and Pedwell, C. (2008) Women, Gender and the Informal Economy: An Assessment of ILO Research and Suggested Ways Forward, Geneva: International Labour Office.

Department for International Development (DFID) (2011) Promoting the Financial Inclusion of Women and Girls: A Toolkit (June 2011 draft), p. 12, London: DFID.

Donor Committee for Enterprise Development ‘Measuring and reporting results: The DCED Standard’ <www.enterprise-development.org/page/measuring-and-reporting-results≯ [accessed 18 October 2012]. www.enterprise-development.org/page/measuring-and-reporting-results

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) (2011) Communicating Gender for Rural Development: Integrating Gender in Communication for Development, Dimitra Project, Rome: FAO.

Golla, A., Malhotra, A., Nanda, P. and Mehra, R. (2011) Understanding and Measuring Women's Economic Empowerment: Definition, Framework and Indicators [website], Washington, DC: International Center for Research on Women <www.icrw.org/publications/understanding-and-measuring-womenseconomic-empowerment≯ [accessed 18 October 2012]. www.icrw.org/publications/understanding-and-measuring-womenseconomic-empowerment

Hakemulder, R. and Miller, M.E. (2012) M4P and Women's Economic Empowerment - Phase 2: Guidelines for Incorporating WEE into M4P Programmes, Report for the M4P Hub. Available at: www.m4phub.org/userfiles/file/12007XR%20Final%20Report.pdf [accessed 29 October 2012]. www.m4phub.org/userfiles/file/12007XR%20Final%20Report.pdf

Kabeer, N., Mahmud, S. and Tasneem, S. (2011) Does Paid Work Provide a Pathway to Women's Empowerment? Empirical Findings from Bangladesh, IDS Working Paper No. 375, Brighton, UK: Institute of Development Studies.

Mayoux, L. and Mackie, G. (2007) Making the Strongest Links: A Practical Guide to Mainstreaming Gender in Value Chain Analysis, Geneva: International Labour Office (ILO).

Reemer, T. (2011) Gender Justice in Pro-Poor Value Chain Development, The Hague: Oxfam Novib.

Ruiz Abril, M.E. (2009) ‘Women's Economic Empowerment in Conflict and Post-conflict Countries’, a policy paper in Sida's Women's Economic Empowerment Series, Stockholm: Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Simon-Kumar, R. (2011) ‘The analytics of “gendering” the post-neoliberal state’, Social Politics 18: 441-68 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/sp/jxr018≯.

Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) (2009) Gender Equality in Practice: A Manual for SIDA, Stockholm: Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) (2003) Gender Policy: Gender Equality - A Key for Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Development, Bern: SDC/FDA (Federal Department of Foreign Affairs).

The Springfield Centre (2008a) A Synthesis of the Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) Approach, Bern: SDC/FDA (Federal Department of Foreign Affairs).

The Springfield Centre (2008b) Perspectives on the Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) Approach, Bern: SDC/FDA (Federal Department of Foreign Affairs).

The Springfield Centre (2008c) The Operational Guide for the Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) Approach, London: DFID and Bern: SDC/FDA (Federal Department of Foreign Affairs).

World Bank (2011) World Development Report 2012: Gender Equality and Development, Washington, DC: World Bank.