Digital Economy in the mena region Gihan Abou Zeid

Towards a Future of Work Based on Social 
and Gender Justice
ICT can contribute to building a just future of 
work for women if policies to ensure workers’ 
rights, insurance, parental leave, as well as 
healthy and safe working conditions are put in 
place. The most common job opportunities in 
the ICT sector are still performed remotely, but 
these opportunities often fall under the informal 
sector. Therefore, social protection systems need 
restructuring in light of the changes brought 
about by technology to labour markets, and in 
light of the increase in the number of workers 
outside traditional and regulated frameworks.
development and poverty reduction by using it 
as a tool to help in developing broader strategies 
and programs for building opportunities and 
bettering the situation of poorer communities 
(McNamara, 2003: 1-2).
Technology can also be used to combat harmful 
cultural practices, such as violence against 
women. The “Get Ready Technology” campaign 
was able to shed light on the problem of 
violence against women through technology, 
in addition to providing information, research, 
and proposed solutions from various parts 
of the world. Moreover, modern technology 
possesses all the features that would create 
new opportunities for feminist networks and 
movements to carry out advocacy, mobilization, 
and solidarity-building work. Recently, the 
region witnessed the proliferation of several 
positive models that harness technology for 
transnational feminist organization.
Although developing countries benefit from 
the ICT industry to create certain jobs, global 
transnational corporations still have an upper 
hand in controlling markets, production, and 
distribution processes (Gurumurthy, 2004: 28). 
This leads to the continuation of the socio-
economic and gender gaps in society.
Therefore, we must consider the nature of 
these opportunities, how fair they really are 
and whom they benefit the most. We must 
also think about who has the ability to access 
them. Taking advantage of opportunities in tech 
requires knowledge, capital and communication 
networks, all of which are resources enjoyed 
by the owners of large capital and influential 
international companies.