A collaborative research initiative generating evidence on
gender and digital platforms across South and Southeast Asia
The 21st century is witness to major transformations reshaping the way we live and work. Primary among them is the acceleration of technological change. Much attention has been afforded to understanding the future of work within this context, but relatively little of the discourse foregrounds the issue of women’s work.
Particular shifts that come with advancements in technology are the creation of new jobs and ways of organizing existing jobs. The rise of online labour platforms – mediating supply and demand for tasks and goods – are contributing to these shifts. These platforms enable workers to work directly from or near their homes, and manage their work on a case by case basis, getting paid by output produced, that is, taking on “gigs” either as contracted workers, or as entrepreneurs/freelancers.
For women, platforms can potentially offer flexibility of hours and location, the opportunity to earn a higher income, and enter into more male-dominated or higher skilled work. Platform work also carries risks such as isolation, high competition, replicating informal work structures and excluding workers from labour regulations and social protection. For women in low-income contexts who already face considerable challenges in the labour market – including unpaid work and care responsibilities, restrictive social norms, and limited training opportunities – these trade-offs may, or may not, be worth the risk.
More evidence is needed to understand how gig work and online labour platforms impact women, particularly low income women and those working in the informal economy, illuminating the practices and policies, which, at scale, have the power to address existing labour market inequalities and contribute to a more inclusive future of work.