Online gig work is experiencing significant growth worldwide, particularly in developing nations, providing a crucial source of employment, especially for women and young individuals facing job scarcity, as highlighted in a recent World Bank report unveiled on Thursday. 

The report indicates that the global number of online gig workers is estimated to reach as high as 435 million people, with a 41% surge in demand for gig work observed between 2016 and the first quarter of 2023. While this growth presents a valuable employment avenue, concerns arise among worker rights advocates due to the absence of robust job protections in the gig economy. 

The gig workforce often operates job to job with minimal security and limited employment rights. Unlike location-dependent gig services such as Uber, Lyft, and TaskRabbit, which involve physical tasks like moving and delivery, online gig assignments can predominantly be carried out from home. These tasks encompass activities like image tagging, data entry, website design, and software development. For women and disadvantaged youth in the developing world facing constraints and household responsibilities, online gig work offers a compelling opportunity to participate in the labor market. 

According to Namita Datta, the lead author of the World Bank report, women in these regions struggle to secure good quality jobs, making online gig work a promising alternative. The report notes that around 90% of the workforce in low-income countries operates in the informal sector. 

Advocates for workers emphasize the precarious nature of gig work, citing concerns about job security, managerial accountability, and insufficient social protections related to health and retirement. The report highlights that social insurance coverage is low among gig workers globally, with approximately half of surveyed gig workers lacking a retirement plan. Moreover, up to 73% of Venezuelan gig workers and 75% of Nigerians did not have any savings for retirement. 

Acknowledging the economic conditions in developing countries, experts stress the universal importance of developing and prioritizing good jobs with fundamental labor standards and a basic minimum wage. While pathways and timelines may vary, the essence of prioritizing workers' rights remains a universal value. 

In the United States, the gig workforce, both online and onsite, is growing, leading to ongoing debates about worker rights on these platforms. A 2021 Pew Research study revealed that 16% of U.S. adults earned money through online gig platforms, with 30% of 18- to 29-year-olds engaging in such work. However, the U.S. gig economy has faced challenges, with transportation and delivery companies like Uber, Lyft, and Grubhub embroiled in numerous lawsuits over issues such as minimum wage, employment classification, and alleged sexual harassment. 

Worker misclassification remains a concern, leading to situations where many workers lack minimum wage guarantees, social safety nets, and benefits like unemployment or workers' compensation. The World Bank report, based on surveys across 17 countries, including Egypt, Argentina, Nigeria, Russia, and China, sheds light on the complex landscape of global online gig work and the pressing need for comprehensive worker protections in this evolving economic paradigm.