Digitalization as a challenge or opportunity for working mothers? A study of Taiwan

Digitalization has significantly transformed everyday life and labour markets, attracting growing policy attention worldwide. However, digital transformation may simultaneously expand employment opportunities and reinforce gendered labour market segmentation. Focusing on working mothers in Taiwan, this study examines the extent to which the digital economy shapes employment opportunities for mothers with young children. Based on in-depth interviews with 25 married women employed in the IT sector and digital platforms, the findings indicate that occupational gender segregation has taken on new and more complex forms under the digital economy. On the one hand, more women have gained access to core and higher-quality employment. On the other hand, digital tools enable many mothers to overcome temporal and spatial constraints, allowing them to maintain their attachment to the labour market and engage in both online and offline economic activities through the effective use of interpersonal networks. These opportunities coexist with the continued unequal distribution of care responsibilities. Overall, these developments lend support to the optimistic perspectives of cyberfeminists, suggesting that digitalization can expand women’s employment opportunities rather than primarily reinforcing their marginalization in the digital economy.