As per a study by Payoneer, a global digital payment services, one in every five Indian freelancers is a woman. The report further states that women are earning more than men in areas of marketing and web and graphic design, while in all other areas their average earning is 84% that of men. It has been found that among the major online marketplaces, majority of the clients are US-based and average work time is 2-2.5 hours.

These figures reveal how the freelance market is creating space for utilising the untapped potential of the female workforce that mostly dropout of the job market to care for the families. Empowered by technology and affordable internet, women who have been out of the job market for a few years can catch up with the current trends and bridge the skill gap by attending structured skill training courses around their regular schedule. 

Gig Economy impact

A Global Freelancer Income Report 2020 survey that was conducted among 7000 freelancers from 150 countries studied the impact of freelancing on working trends. It was found that the gig economy has created higher incomes, new job opportunities and greater independence. 83% freelancers work from home and 17% from coffee shops, coworking spaces, libraries, and private offices. Women who are juggling motherhood and career are working around the clock and through the week in free periods to not just maintain the semblance of a career but thrive as individuals with their own businesses. Schemes like StartUp India, Digital India and Skill India are giving impetus to this new wave by promoting entrepreneurship in the country. With the growth in the gig economy, women and people from all backgrounds are empowered to acquire work, set their rates, market their skills and get fair pay for their work.

What women are doing

Many women are now using their skills that were previously overlooked or admired by close relatives and friends into viable business opportunities online. There are female entrepreneurs earning form teaching skills such as rangoli making, traditional cooking, fitness coaching and childcare. Many are also selling homemade food or snacks, their handmade clothes, graphic designs samples online. 

Freelancing is a boon for businesses and women alike as it fills a major lacuna that left a large workforce unused. Women employability in India stands at 46.8% as per The Wheebox National Employability Test (WNET) survey analysis for 2021. Yet, women comprise 36% of all workforce in India currently. These figures are a marked improvement over the previous years. As freelancing gains traction, more women will enter the workforce on their own terms and make their mark.