Women are vital to global supply chains and play varied roles in both formal and informal economies. Gender equality is a principle of all the leading human rights instruments, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Gender inequality, however, remains a significant barrier for women. As a result, both state (Uganda) and non-state actors (multinational corporations (MNCs)) must pay more attention to the various human rights violations and barriers that disproportionally affect women. Although there are existing initiatives to promote gender equality both by state and non-state actors, structural changes are needed to ensure both actors recognise that substantive equality is key to social and economic justice.