On September 26 in Hanoi, the Institute of Sociology and Psychology (Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences) in collaboration with the FNF Fund organized a scientific seminar on "Enhancing economic empowerment for women in the GIG economy".
The GIG economy, commonly known as the freelance employment economy, associated with the informal sector, is a form of economy based on short-term, flexible work, often through digital platforms rather than long-term contracts. Workers can do small business, deliver goods, drive technology, help with household chores...
The strength of this model is the flexibility in time and space; but there are also potential risks due to instability, low insurance and social benefits.
For women, the GIG economy opens up opportunities to participate in the labor market while still balancing family care. However, they also face more challenges than men due to digital skills barriers, gender discrimination and a double burden between making a living and housework.
In the report on "The economic proficiency of women in small business and family care in the employment sector", Dr. Nguyen Thi Phuong Hoa (Institute of Sociology and Psychology) said: Nearly 39.8% of women have higher income than their husbands; 27.8% are equal.
Thus, nearly 70% of women in the survey group are equal to or superior to men in the family in terms of income. Notably, up to 81.5% of women decide most or all of their income.
"Stable income and decision-making rights help women increase their position in the family, contributing to narrowing the gender gap in daily life" - Dr. Hoa emphasized.
According to a survey of 324 women in Hanoi conducted by the research team, women in small businesses, street vendors and domestic help workers worked an average of nearly 10 hours/day, many cases starting at 2am and ending at 10pm.
The report of Associate Professor, Dr. Dang Thi Hoa (Institute of Sociology and Psychology) shows that although the job is hard and lacks social security, the income of this group of women is not small.
Helping the family can reach 5-7 million VND/month, or even higher; small businesses and street vendors range from 4-8 million VND/month, many cases exceeding the workers' salary.
She emphasized: "Women in the informal sector are making an important contribution to the economy of households and urban society. Improving their economic power is not only a matter of gender equality but also a driving force for sustainable development".
