Session
Organizer 1: Vitória Santos, UFRJ - Federal University of Rio de Janeiro
Organizer 2: Milena Cramar Londero, Federal University of Paraná
Organizer 3: Luiz Fernando Alfrediano, Legal Grounds Institute
Speaker 1: Luiz Fernando Alfrediano, Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Speaker 2: Miriam Beartrice Wanjiru, Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 3: Antonia Souza, Private Sector, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Speaker 4: Matias Donofrio, Government, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Luiz Fernando Alfrediano, Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Milena Cramar Londero, Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Vitória Santos, Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Roundtable
Duration (minutes): 60
Format description: The roundtable format, paired with a 60-minute duration, was selected to promote collaboration and engagement among all participants. This format offers equal speaking opportunities, encourages focused contributions, and facilitates dynamic interaction between onsite and online attendees - who will be included as well in the methodology we thought. By gathering on equal footing, the visual connection with one another make the onsite participants feel more engaged and invested in the discussion. Additionally, the roundtable format encourages active listening and promotes a sense of ownership among participants, as everyone has the opportunity to contribute and shape the conversation collaboratively. This balanced approach, balancing discussion depth with time efficiency, guarantees a productive and enriching experience for everyone involved, rendering it the perfect fit for our proposal.
How can regulatory frameworks be designed to ensure fair labor practices and protect workers' rights in the Global South, while still promoting the economic growth and innovation offered by platform work? What strategies can be employed to bridge the digital divide and ensure equitable access to platform work opportunities in the Global South, mitigating digital inequality and promoting financial inclusion? In what ways can multisectoral collaboration contribute to developing and implementing innovative solutions to the challenges of platform work in the Global South, including precarious employment conditions and impacts on local labor markets?
What will participants gain from attending this session? Session attendees will gain a comprehensive insight into platform work's impact and opportunities in the Global South, understanding its benefits and challenges, including job precarity and digital inequality. They will learn about innovative strategies and best practices from the Global South to enhance the positives of platform work while reducing its risks, including regulatory frameworks that bolster workers' rights and economic growth, and labor protections against work precarization. Interactive discussions and case studies will offer a deep dive into leveraging digital platforms for entrepreneurship, market access, and flexible work, emphasizing the importance of fair labor practices and equitable growth. Participants will leave with actionable insights and strategies for contributing to a more inclusive and equitable digital economy, equipped to engage in meaningful dialogue as policymakers, researchers, practitioners, or advocates in digital labor and economic development.
Description:
This workshop delves into the burgeoning realm of platform work, a revolutionary employment model facilitated by digital platforms that link workers with tasks or projects, thereby reshaping traditional labor dynamics. Predominantly focusing on the Global South, this session aims to dissect the dual-edged nature of platform work. It illuminates how this modern work paradigm, characterized by the "gig economy," is simultaneously unlocking unprecedented economic opportunities and ushering in formidable challenges. The gig economy, with its emphasis on short-term contracts and freelance work facilitated by digital platforms, has transformed how people earn income and utilize their skills. In the Global South, platform work shines as a source of economic empowerment, granting access to global markets and enabling entrepreneurship and flexible work-life balance. Yet, it also brings precarious employment, widens digital disparities, and puts pressure on local wages and conditions, especially in sectors prone to automation and digital outsourcing. Our workshop is designed to navigate these complexities, offering a platform for the exchange of innovative strategies and best practices aimed at harnessing the full potential of platform work while safeguarding against its inherent risks. Through a series of interactive discussions and case studies spanning the diverse landscapes of the Global South, participants will engage in a rich exchange of insights on crafting regulatory frameworks, enhancing labor protections, and deploying innovative solutions that are attuned to the unique challenges and opportunities presented by platform work in these regions. Focusing on the selected subtheme, "Harnessing innovation and balancing risks in the digital space," this session promises a comprehensive exploration of how the Global South can navigate the frontiers of regulation and innovation in platform work. It aims to foster a nuanced understanding of the phenomenon, encouraging a dialogue that bridges the gap between economic opportunities and the need for equitable labor practices.
Overall, the workshop aims to catalyze discussions about platform work and foster multisector collaboration to deal with associated challenges in the Global South. Some other expected outcomes: Knowledge exchange: trough interactive discussions and case studies from all the Global South regions, attendees will exchange insights and best practices on regulatory approaches, labor protections, and innovative solutions to address the complexities of platform work in diverse contexts. Policy recommendations: the workshop will facilitate the development of concrete policy recommendations tailored to the needs and realities of the Global South, aiming to foster fair and inclusive regulatory frameworks that support both workers' rights and economic growth. Dissemination of knowledge: the discussion and recommendations of the session will be summarized in a comprehensive document, which will be shared with all speakers and their organizations. This document will disseminate key insights and actionable recommendations to relevant stakeholders and policymakers across the Global South.
Hybrid Format: In our workshop, we prioritize bridging the gap between physical and digital spaces through the expertise of dedicated moderators, who will share the dynamics with all speakers beforehand. These facilitators play a crucial role in fostering equitable participation among onsite and online attendees. Furthermore, we structure our session around problem-solving questions, kickstarting engagement with innovative tools like QR-code-accessible Word Clouds. Additionally, we incorporate a speaker roundtable format, granting each speaker 5 minutes to share initial thoughts. This format encourages concise and focused contributions while ensuring that all perspectives are represented. Subsequently, we'll transition to reading online comments and facilitating one or two onsite interactions. After this engagement phase, we'll return to the speakers to address any raised points or questions, fostering a dynamic exchange between onsite and online participants and enriching the overall dialogue.