Gender Disparities in the gig economy – Webinar

Context 

The rapid growth of digital labour platforms as a new source of income has sparked optimism, with expectations that these platforms will provide employment opportunities for groups that face discrimination in traditional labour markets. For instance, there was hope that the potential for additional income and flexible hours would encourage more women to join the workforce. However, there is growing evidence to suggest that gender-based disparities are prevalent in gig work. Several studies (Cook et al. 2021; Liang et al. 2018) indicate that women frequently engage in low-value tasks on both location-based and online platforms, receiving compensation that reflects this disparity.  

Despite the potential for digital labour platforms to promote economic opportunities for women, online work continues to reflect many of the discriminatory practices found offline (Dewan and Sanyal 2023). Several factors contribute to this.  

Women tend to self-select into gender-normative sectors and roles that pay less than male-dominated occupations. In some cases, studies show that women receive lower pay for the same work (Cook et al. 2021). Female workers often display a greater aversion to algorithmic control, a preference for job flexibility, and increased concern over safety and security. These factors collectively restrict their engagement and income potential compared to male counterparts (Liang et al. 2018). Other factors, including platform policies, gendered norms, caregiving roles, and lack of social protection, further fuel these disparities. 

JustJobs Network and GIZ hosted a discussion on the causes and potential solutions to gender disparities in work mediated through digital labour platforms on 12^th September 2024. The primary objective of the webinar was to explore regulatory frameworks and policy measures that promote gender equity in platform work and alleviate challenges such as caregiving responsibilities, drawing insights from best practices globally.  

List of Panellists: 

• Opening Remarks – Sabina Dewan, President & Executive Director, JJN 

• Dr Ekkehard Ernst, Chief Macroeconomist, ILO; President, Geneva Macro Labs 

• Prerna Seth, Fellow, JustJobs Network 

• Dr Hilda Mwakatumbula, Digital Transformation Advisor, GIZ Tanzania 

Key Takeaways 

In her opening remarks, Sabina Dewan, President and Executive Director of the JustJobs Network, emphasized that in theory, platforms offer more flexibility, but this does not always play out in reality. For instance, a personal care provider that used to work in a salon did not have to travel between gigs. She had certainty of wages for the work she put in. As a self-employed personal care worker through a platform, she would now have to travel between gigs, loosing time, energy and money having to pay for transportation. Her income would depend on how many gigs she is able to squeeze into a day after accounting for the time commuting.   

Moreover, focussing only on the topline number of increasing female labour force participation overlooks important concerns around the quality of women’s work and gender equity. To leverage the benefits of having more women in the workforce, we also need to harness their potential by enabling good quality, productive work with pathways for mobility. 

She highlighted that achieving these goals depends on looking at range of policies and regulations; it is not just limited to labour regulations. We need to look at how a broad range of architectures cater to the needs of women, including education and skill development systems, transportation, childcare facilities, and social security.  

Ms Dewan’s remarks were followed by insights from Dr Ekkehard Ernst, Chief Macroeconomist at the ILO and President of Geneva Macro Labs, who stated that addressing discrimination on digital labour platforms requires more than just platform-targeted policies. Broader inequalities, such as access to transportation, digital tools, and infrastructure, must also be tackled. He highlighted the dominance of digital platforms from advanced economies in the Global South and underscored the necessity of dismantling these monopolies to foster a more dynamic and competitive environment that offers women better opportunities for success.  

The discussion then shifted to region specific challenges faced by women workers. Panellists Dr Hilda Mwakatumbula, Digital Transformation Advisor, GIZ Tanzania, and Prerna Seth, Fellow at JustJobs Network, explored how women on digital labour platforms navigate the dual demands of income generation and caregiving and household responsibilities in Africa and South Asia, respectively. Both emphasized that many women opt out of platform work due to the burden of childcare and the precarious nature of gig work, which does not offer a reliable income or social security benefits. Ms Seth observed, “With the platform economy, women now face the triple burden of managing domestic chores, care work, and income generation activities.”  

Dr Hilda highlighted initiatives in some African countries that target policymakers to train and educate them on the digital economy to facilitate better regulation. On a similar note, Ms Seth pointed out recent Indian policies focused on supporting women workers, such as providing access to affordable childcare and safer public transport, which could greatly benefit female platform workers. 

All the panellists emphasized the necessity for collectivization of platform workers and the introduction of innovative regulations to support new forms of worker organization, such as social media groups, given the geographically dispersed nature of platform work. They also stressed the importance of safeguarding worker privacy in communications. 

Ms Dewan’s remarks in this context are noteworthy. She stated, “In contrast to the factory model, where workers were physically in the same location, self-employed platform workers are disaggregated and geographically dispersed. We are seeing examples of collectivization using social media, but legal protections are needed to legitimize and protect these efforts.”  

Emphasizing the need for communication privacy, Dr Ernst added, “We need mechanisms for workers to communicate without interference from external sources, whether it’s the state or employers.” 

The panellists concluded the discussion by referencing the potential disruption to the digital economy brought about by advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and its possible impact on women. In this context, Dr Mwakatumbula emphasized, “While basic digital skills are essential, we also need women with advanced digital skills to actively participate in AI development. We must create an enabling environment, supported by digital public infrastructure, to ensure that women benefit.” Each of the other speakers also emphasized the importance of designing better technology and policies to prevent the replication of existing gender inequalities, ensuring that women can access economic opportunities arising from these advancements.  

References:  

Cook, Cody, Rebecca Diamond, Jonathan V Hall, John A List, and Paul Oyer. 2021. “The Gender Earnings Gap in the Gig Economy: Evidence from Over a Million Rideshare Drivers.” Review of Economic Studies/the Review of Economic Studies 88 (5): 2210–38. https://doi.org/10.1093/restud/rdaa081. 

Ed. Dewan, S. and K. Sanyal (2023) Empowerment or Exploitation : Global Perspectives on Women’s Work in the Platform Economy. New Delhi : JustJobs Network. 

Liang, Chen, Yili Hong, Bin Gu, and Jing Peng. 2018. “Gender Wage Gap in Online Gig Economy and Gender Differences in Job Preferences.” Social Science Research Network, January. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3266249.