ABSTRACT
Digital labour platforms are increasingly presented as avenues for women's economic empowerment, particularly in developing countries. This narrative, however, often overlooks the complex gendered realities of platform work. This chapter critically examines how platforms, rather than fostering equality, often reproduce and exacerbate existing inequalities. Drawing on ILO survey data (2017–2023), along with qualitative research, the chapter analyses how occupational segregation, educational disparities, persistent pay gaps, precarious work arrangements and algorithmic management intersect to disadvantage women. While platforms offer some income-generating opportunities, they also intensify existing vulnerabilities. Women are often concentrated in lower-paying sectors; they face algorithmic bias, are penalised for caregiving responsibilities and struggle with ensuring minimum incomes. Furthermore, the promised flexibility often translates into unpredictable schedules and increased pressure to balance paid and unpaid work. The chapter highlights how gender intersects with race, class and migration status and creates specific challenges for women. Finally, the argument is made for policy interventions that move beyond simplistic notions of empowerment to address the structural inequalities shaping women's experiences in the platform economy. These include strengthening collective bargaining rights, promoting algorithmic transparency, ensuring portable social security benefits and bridging the gender digital divide.
