Gig Economy in the Global South

Coordinated by JJN, the FutureWORKS Collective held its inception workshop in Negombo, Sri Lanka in March 2024. During this workshop, the members of the collective got together to discuss the research priorities and approach of the collective. This photo essay presents a glimpse into the workshop.

India's Union Budget 2025 attempts to drive economic growth and investment by giving tax breaks to individuals, corporates and start-ups. Sabina Dewan shares her remarks on these measures and makes a case for the need to focus on sustainable and implementable policy framework focussed on creating good quality jobs.

Artificial intelligence is an unstoppable force that is reshaping local communities, national economies, labour markets, and international relations. In this issue paper, the authors provide specific policy recommendations aimed at promoting inclusive adoption of AI technologies.

JJN’s Sabina Dewan writes on the urgent need to bridge the gap between growth and quality of jobs for the Indian working-age population. Labour market in India is failing to generate enough high-quality jobs for its large and growing population; at the same time employers struggle to find workers with the right skills for the job openings they have. Highlighting the growing extent of precarity in the nature of available work in the country, she makes the case for adopting a ground-up approach for job creation.

Sabina Dewan in conversation with Govindraj Ethiraj of The Core on recent labour union strikes and related labour market trends and laws (episode #398, 12:07). She highlights the need for authentic social dialogue for effective application and implementation of labour regulations, and reasons why worker protests are becoming more prominent and frequent. She addresses the question of role of private sector and governments in ensuring worker protection and fostering inclusivity in rapidly changing labour markets. Listen to The Core podcast on rising yet diverging markets.

JustJobs Network has developed a comprehensive repository of skilling ecosystems of over 30 countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. These factsheets visualise labor market indicators for these countries and provide critical information about education and skilling ecosystems.

JJN’s Sabina Dewan writes on the expanding e-commerce ecosystem in India and its effect on MSMEs of the country. From the perspective of micro, small and medium enterprises, that are dealing with tech disruptions to stay in business and the 111 million jobs they support, she calls for appropriate and effective regulations to enable more inclusive growth of e-commerce.

JustJobs Network has developed a comprehensive repository of skilling ecosystems of over 30 countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. This factsheet visualises labor market indicators for Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and, Sri Lanka and provides critical information about education and skilling ecosystems in these countries.

This report examines the extent to which strategies for building and supporting a digital economy facilitate the empowerment of women and girls within the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with a case-based focus on Egypt.

JustJobs Network has developed a comprehensive repository of skilling ecosystems of over 20 countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. This factsheet visualises labor market indicators for Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates and provides critical information about education and skilling ecosystems in these countries.

In June 2024, JJN was part of a roundtable discussion hosted by KPMG International to explore the existing policy mechanisms and potential policy opportunities in the Global South for effective labour market participation of youth.

This brief offers a gender perspective into the study of impact of digital transformations, in the form of artificial intelligence and automation, on labour force participation and skilling ecosystems of Middle East and North Africa region.