Women's rights in the gig economy

The gig economy and how it affects women

Some women in the Global South are already involved in precarious and exploitative forms of work in the informal sector or within global chains of multinationals.

Their livelihoods are being disproportionately impacted by the intersecting crises of Covid-19, high inflation, debt, austerity, and climate change.

Despite some benefits of the gig economy, for the vast majority of women, the downsides of location-based gig work outweigh the positives.

The benefits of gig economy such as independence, flexibility and economic empowerment often mask poor working conditions characterised by informality, precarity, low and unpredictable pay, long hours, limited access to social protection, denial of rights to unionise, exposure to violence, and lack of corporate accountability.

Positive effects of the gig economy

Women in several countries and sectors have shared how location-based gig work has created new work opportunities and has been positive and empowering in various ways.

For women with access, location-based platforms are creating new opportunities for paid work, along with some positive benefits such as training and an increased sense of professionalism.

In a survey of 4,900 ride-hailing, food delivery, and domestic services gig workers in 15 countries, 11% of women said they did not have a job before joining a platform, compared to 8% of men.8

In countries such as Argentina, platforms have facilitated a marginal increase in female participation in male-dominated sectors, such as ride-hailing and delivery.9

One suggested reason for this are the online signup mechanisms, which allow women to avoid discrimination they may face in an in-person interview.

Women engaging through location-based platforms in the domestic and beauty sectors have also reported a greater sense of professionalisation, and feel empowered by the training opportunities provided. 

Of the small proportion of women platform-based drivers in South Africa, the perceived benefits of such work include flexibility (67%) and an increase in income (46%). 10

Negative effects of the gig economy

A digital divide excludes many women from the digital sphere. 

The narratives of independence, flexibility and economic empowerment pushed by some platform companies and those investing in platforms often mask poor working conditions characterised by informality, precarity, low and unpredictable pay, long hours, limited access to social protection, denial of rights to unionise, exposure to violence, and lack of corporate accountability.

The majority of platform companies treat workers as independent contractors or ‘partners’, rather than as employees, largely avoiding any form of employer liability. 

It means gig workers often fall outside of the purview of labour laws, including those covering minimum wages, working hours, and safety at work; and lack access to social protection, such as paid parental leave, sick leave, holiday pay or a pension. 

Despite governments committing to global standards on decent work that should cover all workers, the law generally remains weak and poorly implemented in some of the countries, with a lack of clarity on extending rights to gig workers.

Algorithms have also been found to discriminate against women, who are unable to respond as quickly or work as many hours as men because of unpaid care responsibilities.

For while digital platforms often tout the ‘flexibility’ of gig work, this has not reduced wider discriminatory expectations around unpaid care and domestic work. This can result in women working even longer days. This was especially the case during the Covid-19 pandemic, when schools closed and women were expected to look after children.

For example, in Argentina, the Association of Platform Workers reported that women platform delivery drivers, who were the main household breadwinners, had no choice but to work fewer hours. They also shared how the algorithms, “condemn” those who cannot juggle “work and family”.11

In addition, safety concerns, including around gender-based violence can deter women drivers from accepting gig work after dark and in certain locations.

A study of seven countries, including Kenya and South Africa, found that women platform drivers worked fewer hours than men, contributing to a sizeable gender wage gap.

Now, location-based platform workers are engaging in collective activism to defend their rights. Others are resisting the exploitative corporate systems by setting up platform cooperatives.