Advancing Inclusive Development: Institutional Barriers and Opportunities for the Economic Participation of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities: A Systematic Review

Introduction: Institutional inclusion does not necessarily produce meaningful economic participation. Across the supplied literature, women, youth and persons with disabilities encounter policy implementation gaps, administrative burdens, discriminatory norms, financial exclusion, digital access constraints and weak transitions from education or training into work and enterprise. This review examined how institutional barriers and opportunities influence the economic participation of women, youth and persons with disabilities within inclusive development and socio-economic governance contexts.Methods: The researcher-selected databases and information sources were Google Scholar. The eligibility protocol restricted publication years to 2016–2026. The exact calendar date of search execution was not recorded in the verified identification provenance; this is distinct from the publication-year eligibility range. A systematic review searched Google Scholar for English-language peer-reviewed studies published from 2016 to 2026 using a predefined Boolean strategy.Results: Seven codes clustered into four categories and produced five analytical themes. Formal inclusion frequently failed during implementation; administrative design converted nominal access into practical exclusion; norms, discrimination and accessibility barriers patterned participation; finance and digitalisation operated as conditional opportunities; and capability-building was most promising when embedded in coordinated, locally responsive support systems. Evidence was broad on barriers but uneven on youth-specific lived experience, intersectionality, implementation fidelity and long-term livelihood outcomes. Bibliometric evidence mapped prominence and relationships but did not establish quality or causal strength.Discussion/Conclusion: Economic participation is shaped less by the existence of inclusive policies than by their enforcement, accessibility, institutional coordination and fit with local capabilities. Inclusive development therefore requires integrated governance, simplified procedures, accessible finance and technology, capability development and sustained multi-stakeholder support.