Gender, Work, and Digital Labor Platforms in Asia: A Systematic Review

This systematic review investigates the gendered dynamics of work on digital labor platforms across Asia, synthesizing findings from interdisciplinary literature to examine patterns of occupational segregation, wage disparities, and algorithmic bias. Drawing on studies from diverse contexts, the review reveals that digital platforms, while offering flexible employment opportunities, often reproduce and reinforce traditional gender inequalities. Women are disproportionately concentrated in lower-paid, lower-status roles, both across and within occupational categories, and face systemic wage gaps influenced by social norms, limited access to digital infrastructure, and algorithmically mediated discrimination. Institutional factors such as weak labor protections and fragmented regulatory environments further exacerbate these disparities. The review highlights that technological solutions alone are insufficient to ensure equity; instead, a combination of inclusive platform design, stronger legal frameworks, and policy interventions targeting structural inequalities is essential. The paper concludes by emphasizing the need for intersectional, evidence-based strategies to promote fair and equitable participation in the growing platform economy in Asia.