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Mainstreaming Gender Perspective in AI crowd work in the Global South

Our article “Mainstreaming Gender Perspective in AI crowd work in the Global South” developed with UNAM's Civic Innovation Lab and PuenTech Lab was selected by <A+ Alliance> as part of the second cohort of scalable feminist research. We leveraged gender perspective methodologies and public policy analysis to design smart tools to empower the workforce that underpins the growth of AI. To do so, the team analyzed the current state of AI-related collaborative work in the Latin American and Caribbean region, and detected design implications and policy recommendations based on international best practices and use cases.

La Independiente will be developing a pilot of an AI-powered social connection and recommendation system. It will be specifically designed to help collective platform workers build a supportive community and develop their technical and social skills. The second component of socialization will bring policy and decision makers, academics and other stakeholders of the crowd-work space in a forum to socialize feminist policy perspectives.

Learn more (ESP)

UbiComp4All Paper

This digital repository is an online platform where the forum recordings, materials and other relevant resources are stored and organized. It allows participants to access the content at any time and share it with others.

Digital Repository

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July 26th, 2023

Recordings (in Spanish)

Panel

Towards a Fairer Future of Work: Integrating Gender Perspectives in Crowd-Work Platforms

The panel featured presentations by Tatiana Télles, Kruskaya Hidalgo Cordero and Sarah Wagner. The panel highlighted how during the pandemic, it was vulnerable groups who sustained the Latin American economy, and advocated for more humane and fairer algorithms. The GIZ gig economy initiative was discussed and the role of women in this sector was highlighted. The lack of gender data in technology and discrimination in the labor market was noted. Discussions addressed wage inequalities, access to benefits and the importance of networks and mentoring networks in the fight for gender equality on platforms.

Workshop 1

Integrating a Gender Perspective in Crowd-Work Platform Policies

The workshop was led by Tatiana Télles, who highlighted the importance of including gender analysis methodologies and how this relates to the question "where are the women?". She reflected on the lack of gender equity in the gig economy and identified areas of opportunity, such as the search for allies and the development of responsible algorithms. The gender bias present in the workshop was also pointed out, as well as the need to involve more men in the discussion on gender issues.

Crowd-Workers' Panel

Designing tools with and for crowd workers

This panel was moderated by Maya de los Santos and Liz Maylin de Jesús Sánchez, and featured crowd-workers Louise Losañez and Ginika Ndubuisi, who shared their experiences in the gig economy. Louise mentioned the gender challenges in applying for certain jobs, while Ginika highlighted clients' preferences for women in certain roles. Both offered recommendations for those looking to enter the gig economy, emphasizing keeping CVs up to date and seeking out online communities. Ginika stressed the importance of finding areas of interest and not fearing rejection, but warned about the lack of job security for women in this field.

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July 27th, 2023

Recordings (in Spanish)

Lightning talks

Experiences towards Gendering Tech Research and Policy

The lightning talks included interventions by Andrea Paola Hernández, who highlighted how colonialism is reproduced in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the gender gaps in data labeling in Venezuela. Carolina Hevia spoke about the founding of platform workers unions in Ecuador and the difficulties they face, such as persecution and lack of labor protection. The importance of technological literacy and ethics in the development of AI was discussed, as well as the need for alliances and support in the fight for workers' rights.

Workshop 2

Feminist Perspectives

on Research and

Policy in Tech

The second workshop addressed the invisibility of women in technology and STEM fields, highlighting the risk of increasing the gender gap if AI continues to develop without equality and inclusion. The lack of mentorship for women in non-traditional careers and the stereotypical burden in the tech field was reflected upon. Biases in tech, especially towards the transgender and non-binary community, as well as violence on crowd-work platforms towards women were mentioned.

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Crowd-work initiatives

Learning resources

The Rise & Economics of the Gig Economy

Workshop resources

Worksop 1
- Ice breaker and activities
Worksop 2
- Ice breaker and activities

Articles on crowd-work

How the AI industry took advantage of Venezuela's economic collapse

What is crowd-work?

The process of individuals actively contributing their skills, knowledge, and time to complete tasks or projects through online platforms. Crowd-workers engage in activities such as data labeling, image categorization, or transcription, playing a crucial role in improving Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms' accuracy and performance. This distributed approach allows for scalability, flexibility, and diverse perspectives, ultimately enhancing the capabilities of AI systems.

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Lack of gender perspectives in crowd-work in the Global South

One in every five crowd-workers in this region is a woman, highlighting the gender disparity present in the overall context of the field.
This underrepresentation of women in crowd-work has serious implications, as it perpetuates existing gender inequalities and hinders the full potential of inclusive economic growth.
It is crucial to address this imbalance by developing initiatives that promote gender mainstreaming, equal opportunities, and fair treatment for women in crowd-work.

Why is crowd-work relevant for Latin America?

In the post-COVID-19 era, the region has witnessed a surge in crowd-work employment, offering income and employment opportunities in areas with stagnant economies.
Crowd-work has the potential to empower individuals by providing them with the flexibility to work from anywhere, utilize their skills, and participate in the digital economy.
By incorporating a gender lens and promoting inclusive policies, Latin America can ensure that the benefits of crowd-work are equally accessible and empower women in the region's workforce.

Why a forum on crowd-work that focuses on policy perspectives from a feminist design?

The objective of this event is to bring together decision makers, policy makers, and experts from diverse sectors to share best practices on integrating the gender perspective in crowd-work. By examining crowd-work through a feminist lens, we can identify and rectify the systemic barriers and biases that disproportionately affect women in this field.

This forum aims to create a platform for knowledge exchange, collaboration, and the development of inclusive policies that promote equal opportunities, fair treatment, and empowerment for women in crowd-work. By fostering a feminist design in crowd-work policies, we can strive towards a more equitable and just future of work.

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Caitlin Kraft- Buchman

Co-Founder & Leader

<A+> Alliance for Inclusive Algorithms

Luz Elena González

Projects and Comms Lead

PIT Policy Lab

Kruskaya Hidalgo

Código Doméstico in the flesh

Andrea Paola Hernández

Journalist

Maya De Los Santos

Northeastern Civic A.I. Lab

Cristina Martinez

CEO & Founder

PIT Policy Lab

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Tatiana Telles

Expert on Gender Mainstreaming and Public Policy

Puentech Lab

Sarah Wagner

Project Manager
Gig Economy in development cooperation (GIZ)

Dra. Norma Elva Chávez

Co-director of the Civic Innovation Laboratory Leader and Founder of the Programmable Logic Devices Laboratory

Outreach Partners

About the project

Gender Perspective in AI crowd work

Gender Perspective in AI crowd work

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