Within the greater Middle East, Pakistan and Sudan are two states whose chronic political instability has had significant consequences for the well-being of its citizens, particularly for marginalized groups such as women. While women encounter socio-economic and political disadvantages globally, within weaker states their levels of exclusion are heightened. Inadequate policies and institutions along with exclusionary socio-cultural contexts mean that women face both material and non-material disadvantages. This paper explores the ramifications of poor governance for the inclusion of women in society. While the fragile political and security makeup of the countries has increasingly placed women at the margins of society, women working in informal rural economies have proven to be critical to the survival of their families, as they serve the dual role of primary domestic care-takers and providers of income. Operating in the periphery, rural women working in informal economies are at the bottom level of the labor markets as they face gendered, social, and economic vulnerability. The social exclusion of women working in these economies posits the need for comprehensive assistance that enhances their employability while taking into account the gendered power relations existing within society. Non-governmental organizations play an important role in this regard, as they fill the gap of the state by facilitating access to vital resources and networks. This paper assesses the services provided by NGOs in the rural areas of Pakistan and Sudan and their attempt to overcome the challenges of exclusion faced by rural women. The productive and reproductive skills offered by these organizations, are incorporated into the coping strategies of women to fulfill their multiple and multi-dimensional roles in society. The way in which women utilize these skills is an indication of their active participation in their own social inclusion and their ability to navigate the power structures that exclude them. This paper will examine the impact of NGO programs dedicated to the enhanced participation and integration of women in society, to assess whether this translates into greater agency in different spaces, and how it dually impacts gender disparity within their homes and communities.