This paper examines is the framework of gender equality and women’s empowerment and argues that the developmental and political goal of reducing gender inequalities remains largely unmet. The pioneers for women’s rights focused on the labour market, however evidence on the exclusion and discrimination in the labour market indicates that the struggle against these inequalities remain valid. Drawing on the discourse on poverty, the paper notes that this is a fundamental issue for the SDGs and that the feminization of poverty puts more women at risk. The paper considers the 2015 review of progress since the adoption of the Beijing Platform of Action (BPFA) undertaken at the same time as the transition from the MDGs to the SDGs and poses the question, can the SDGs deliver on gender?