Release of report Gendered practices on digital platforms: Beauty workers and their customers in India

The Center for Information Technology and Public Policy (CITAPP)

International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIITB)

and

Digital Future Society, Barcelona

with​

Casa Asia, Madrid

invite you to the online release of the report

Gendered practices on digital platforms:

Beauty workers and their customers in India

15:30 hours – 17:00 hours IST

12:00 hours – 13:30 hours CET

6th October 2020 (Wednesday)

Please confirm your attendance by email: dfs.technicaloffice@mobileworldcapital.com

ABOUT THE REPORT

Despite the proliferation of research on digital labour platforms, there remains much that is to be understood about how they have entrenched themselves in the world’s labour markets. In particular, little is understood about work conditions in highly feminised sectors such as domestic care or beauty work. The collaboration between the Digital Future Society and CITAPP, to contribute to the knowledge gap on women’s experiences with labour platforms, by drawing on empirically grounded research, has resulted in this report.

As in other parts of the world, the beauty and wellness industry in India is growing, and is witnessing a rise in the number of digital labour platforms that connect freelance beauty professionals with clients. Drawing on interviews with 45 workers conducted in Bangalore and the National Capital Region (Delhi, Gurugram and Noida), between March 2020 and November 2020, the report explores a range of themes including the motivations for switching from a salon to an app, working conditions, training and skill development opportunities, issues around professional identity as well as the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic. Uniquely, the report also draws on interviews with 30 customers in both cities to understand how demand and supply are matched.

PROGRAM:

India’s significance in the global digital economy

1530 hours – 1600 hours IST (1200 noon – 1230 hours CET)

H.E. José María Ridao, Ambassador of Spain to India
H.E. Sanjay Verma, Ambassador of India to Spain
Cristina Colom, Digital Future Society Programme Director and Moderator

Report presentation

1600 hours – 1645 hours IST (1230 hours – 1315 hours CET)

Olivia Blanchard Digital Future Society Reasercher and Panel Moderator
Balaji Parthasarthy Professor IIITB and Principal Investigator
Preeti Mudliar Assistant Professor IIITB and co-Principal Investigator

Questions & Answers, Discussion

1645 hours – 1700 hours IST (1315 hours – 1330 hours CET)

CITAPP at IIIT Bangalore is an interdisciplinary think-tank set-up to focus on the policy challenges and the organizational demands made by technological innovation. Of particular interest to the Centre is how technological advances, along with institutional changes that harness the legitimacy and the powers of bureaucracies and market, address the needs of underserved communities.