The platform economy has emerged as a formidable force in human resource development, employment generation, and advancing gender empowerment and equality. Rather than producing goods themselves, these platforms function as digital intermediaries that connect buyers, sellers, and service providers, creating value through seamless interactions and transactions.

This sector has increasingly drawn women into the digital ecosystem, including in Pakistan, where entrenched household structures, community norms, and broader patriarchal traditions have historically constrained both employment opportunities and enterprise creation for women.

Deeply embedded socio-cultural expectations, shaped by long-standing traditions and perceptions of gender roles, have often limited women’s ability to assert their rights, pursue their aspirations, or translate talent into economic participation.

However, the expansion of online freelancing, access to e-commerce platforms for women-led micro and small enterprises, improved financial access, and the relative flexibility of home-based digital work have collectively created new impetus and have been readily embraced by many women entrepreneurs.

The expansion of online freelancing and access to e-commerce platforms has created a new impetus for female financial inclusion

These developments have enabled many women to begin overcoming socio-cultural barriers, restrictive mindsets, mobility constraints, gender-based harassment and violence, while also gradually narrowing a persistent — though still significant — digital gender gap that continues to impede upward economic mobility.

At women-specific seminars and conferences, discussions typically revolve around the extent of women’s participation in Pakistan’s digital economy, their access to the skills and competencies required to leverage digital technologies, whether their engagement represents long-term career building or sporadic participation, the persistence of gender-based wage disparities, and the extent to which they are capitalising on global digital platforms such as Amazon, Airbnb, Alibaba and others.

In this context, the prevailing prejudiced system is gradually shifting towards optimism, with even sceptics increasingly recognising the new dynamics of business and employment. There is growing acceptance that a turbocharged technological revolution has fundamentally transformed the way individuals, organisations, and markets interconnect.

Against this backdrop, the Employers’ Federation of Pakistan (EFP) has initiated a process to sensitise women employers, among others, to leverage the platform economy. The initiative also seeks to strengthen awareness around employee welfare across full-time, remote, and mobility-based work arrangements.

The focus of these efforts remains women-led micro, small and medium enterprises, many of which continue to operate informally through social media platforms. However, targeted information and structured training are expected to significantly enhance their transition towards formal digital platforms. The programme also places emphasis on digital tools, improved access to fintech solutions, and core business skills.

Digital access remains essential for women entrepreneurs, not only in urban centres but also in rural areas. Extensive discussions and engagements with various workers’ federations have highlighted a substantial pool of women in rural regions who could be encouraged to participate in the platform economy.

However, this task is complicated by a significant gender gap in digital access, particularly in rural settings. The challenge is further exacerbated by widespread illiteracy and low levels of educational attainment among women.

One possible response lies in establishing informal collectives where rural women can gather to access information, engage with experts, absorb knowledge, and establish direct connections with digital platforms. A key reason for hesitation among many rural women is the apprehension of navigating these opportunities in isolation, often described as “sailing in choppy waters” without adequate support.

While many possess considerable skills and talent, they require structured encouragement to effectively leverage social media for economic activity. They also need targeted coaching to overcome initial constraints, including unreliable internet connectivity and weak infrastructure, household responsibilities such as childcare and domestic work, socio-cultural and regional barriers, limited mobility due to transport constraints, and restricted financial resources.

It is therefore imperative for the government to intervene with structured support programmes, including start-up incubators, monetisation pathways, and social media marketing assistance, to enable and encourage greater participation of rural women in the digital economy.

The adoption of International Labour Organisation Convention 193 on Decent Work in the Platform Economy provides protections for digital workers across both formal and informal segments of the economy. It seeks to ensure that remuneration due to platform workers under national laws, regulations, collective agreements, or contractual obligations is duly honoured.

The convention also recognises the role of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, alongside enabling systems that allow them to operate, expand, and remain sustainable, while promoting fair and ethical business competition. In this context, organisations such as the Employers’ Federation of Pakistan, the Pakistan United Workers Federation, and the Government of Pakistan supported the adoption of the Convention.

Building on this framework, efforts have been initiated to establish bilateral dialogue between platform workers and employers to promote decent work while ensuring business sustainability and growth. Work is also underway on forming platform workers’ trade unions and platform employers’ associations to strengthen structured social dialogue.

As Henry Ford once said: “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”

The writer is the President of the Employers’ Federation of Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, June 29th, 2026