New report underscores the need to improve working conditions

A press statement issued by the tech firm indicates that the research zeroes in on a select dozen digital platforms operating within Uganda's ride-hailing and food delivery sectors.

The Co-Director of Research at Pollicy, Bonnita Nyamwire, said that the report underscores the need to improve working conditions in Uganda’s digital labour space.

"This report underscores the pressing need for equitable conditions in Uganda's digital labour landscape. Our research highlights the challenges faced by platform workers, particularly women, and emphasises the importance of adopting comprehensive safety measures and proactive strategies against harassment," she says.

According to the report, by 2021, nearly 60% of Ugandan youth would be engaged in gig work, a number that surged due to the digital shift accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

It further indicates that the transition saw more individuals opting for short-term employment arrangements with employers outside of traditional office settings.

"The transition thrust significant technology companies like Glovo, Quicksend, and Delivery Yo, as well as transportation firms like Safe Boda, Uber, Bolt, and Little Ride, into the limelight. Workers flocked to platform work, enticed by promises of decent incomes and flexible working conditions amidst high unemployment rates," it reads.

However, this research found no evidence to suggest that workers across platforms were guaranteed even a minimum wage after costs. Moreover, workers reported that the platform work environment is far from safe, lacking the dignified conditions every worker deserves.

While ride-hailing services offer convenient transportation, they have also been associated with safety incidents that particularly affect women drivers. Sadly, few women engage in the digital platform economy in roles like ride-hailing or delivery due to what many describe as unfair conditions.

Women working in these sectors reported experiencing physical and verbal harassment, groping, leering, and even physical assault. Instances of robbery, abusive conduct, and refusal to pay for rides were also reported. Shockingly, platforms offered little evidence of meaningful safety measures, leaving workers to fend for themselves, often resulting in income loss.