The report — “Women in the Driver’s Seat: Driving Economic Inclusion for Southeast Asia’s Women through Ride-Hailing and Delivery” — was jointly launched by the United Nations Global Compact Network Singapore (UNGCNS), Kantar and Grab, examining the motivations, barriers and impacts of digital platform employment.
A major regional study released on 24 March 2026 highlights how platform work is reshaping economic opportunities for women across Southeast Asia.
The report — “Women in the Driver’s Seat: Driving Economic Inclusion for Southeast Asia’s Women through Ride-Hailing and Delivery” — was jointly launched by the United Nations Global Compact Network Singapore (UNGCNS), Kantar and Grab, examining the motivations, barriers and impacts of digital platform employment.
Based on a representative sample of 42,000 participants across Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, the study found that women driver-partners on the Grab platform generated USD 0.8 billion in economic output across the region in 2025, underscoring the growing role of flexible digital work in driving inclusive growth.
RELEVANT SUSTAINABLE GOALS
Flexibility Emerges as the Main Driver of Participation
The findings point to a structural challenge shaping women’s workforce participation: time poverty linked to unpaid care responsibilities.
Across Southeast Asia, women perform more than 72 percent of total unpaid care work, limiting their ability to engage in traditional employment models tied to fixed schedules.
As a result, 59 percent of women driver-partners cited lack of flexibility as the main barrier to joining conventional jobs, while platform work offers a pathway to earn income on more adaptable terms.
The study identifies a “Total Addressable Market” of more than 40 million eligible women who are qualified and open to flexible income opportunities through ride-hailing and delivery platforms.
Digital Economy Expands Financial Independence and Quality of Life
Platform-enabled employment is also linked to measurable improvements in economic security and well-being.
According to the study, 86 percent of women partners reported increased financial independence, while 80 percent said their quality of life had improved after joining platform work.
Notably, 22 percent of women driver-partners had no active income prior to participating, a figure 2.4 times higher than among men, suggesting that digital platforms are opening new pathways for women’s economic participation.
The research positions flexible digital employment as a catalyst for narrowing gender gaps in labour force participation, particularly as Southeast Asia seeks to strengthen resilience and productivity in its evolving economies.
Safety, Advocacy and Productivity Shape the Platform Experience
Safety remains a central concern for women considering platform work.
The study found that 75 percent of prospective drivers identified safety as their top concern. In response, Grab has introduced ecosystem-wide tools such as AudioProtect and Selfie Verification, alongside specialised features like “Women Passengers Preferred”.
As a result, eight in ten women driver-partners reported that platform safety features enhanced their sense of security. The study also highlighted strong peer advocacy, with 85 percent of women partners encouraging female friends and family members to join, viewing the platform as a flexible and secure income opportunity.
Grab noted that women driver-partners generally demonstrate higher productivity levels than men while receiving comparable ratings and even higher tips, reflecting their potential as significant contributors to regional economic growth.
Cross-Sector Collaboration Seen as Key to Inclusive Growth
Researchers emphasised that expanding flexible employment models will require collaboration among businesses, policymakers and civil society.
David Fogarty, Chief Executive Officer of UNGCNS, said advancing gender equality and access to decent work is both a social imperative and an economic necessity, particularly in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals and the “Social” pillar of environmental, social and governance (ESG) frameworks.
The study concludes that the gender economic gap in Southeast Asia is less about ambition and more about structural barriers, particularly limited access to flexible work arrangements.
By redesigning systems to prioritise time autonomy and inclusive employment, the region could unlock millions in additional economic output while strengthening long-term competitiveness.
Redefining the Future of Work in Southeast Asia
As Southeast Asia moves toward the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, the report suggests that platform work can play a growing role in shaping a more inclusive labour market.
Flexible digital employment models are increasingly viewed as tools not only for improving individual livelihoods but also for supporting broader economic resilience.
With the potential to expand workforce participation among millions of women, the study signals that putting women “in the driver’s seat” could generate ripple effects across education, entrepreneurship and household welfare — contributing to more inclusive growth across the region.
The full report can be found here.
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