The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about significant changes in the global economy, with the rise of the gig economy being one of the most notable trends. In Uganda, the pandemic led to the emergence of new digital platform work opportunities, providing a lifeline for many who had lost their traditional jobs. One such example is Diva Taxi, an all-women ride-hailing app founded by a Kampala woman, which not only created employment opportunities for women but also offered a safer travel option for female riders.
The growth of the gig economy in Uganda has been rapid, with a survey by the Centre for Global Development revealing that 60 percent of Ugandan youth were involved in platform gig work by 2021. This shift towards digital platform work has been transformative in many ways, but it has also highlighted the longstanding issue of informal employment in the country. In Uganda, as in many developing countries, the informal economy has long been the main source of employment, with 92 percent of total employment falling into this category.
The arrival of digital labor platforms in countries like Uganda has raised important questions about the future of work and the implications for workers, particularly those in the informal economy. While some have heralded gig work as a solution to high youth unemployment rates, others have raised concerns about the lack of legal protections, social benefits, and bargaining power for gig workers. Women, who make up a significant portion of the informal workforce, face additional challenges in the gig economy, including discrimination, harassment, and safety concerns.
Organizations like Pollicy and the Fairwork project have been working to address these issues and assess the fairness of platform companies in Uganda. However, there is still much work to be done to ensure that gig workers, especially women, have access to fair working conditions, protections, and benefits. Governments, platform owners, and other stakeholders must collaborate to create a more just future for labor and technology, prioritizing workers’ rights and needs in the design and governance of digital platforms.
Ultimately, building a feminist future for work in the gig economy will require a community-led approach that empowers workers, particularly women, to have ownership and agency over their work and the platforms they use. By centering workers’ voices and needs in the design of digital platforms, we can create a more equitable and sustainable future for all workers, regardless of their employment status.
