| | SN | Output Name | Description |
| | | | The FGDs will be designed to retrieve information on the current situation of women workers in the digital economy across APEC. Specifically, it aims to get a better understanding of the available social protection measures, the challenges and opportunities faced, and policy recommendations and best practices regarding social protection from workers in the digital economy themselves. |
| 1 | Virtual FGDs for Digital Economy Workers and Government Representatives/ Other Stakeholders with Pre-FGD Survey | There will be four (4) FGDs among women and men workers in the digital economy and among government and other stakeholders from all 21 APEC member economies. Target participants will have varying technological skill sets and come from different tech industries such as data services (e.g. entry-level skilled workers/ data transcriptionists, virtual assistants, etc.) and technical services (e.g. highly-skilled workers/ systems analyst, programmers, etc.). Persons with physical disabilities who are workers in the digital economy will be encouraged to participate. Government representatives, industry associations and other relevant stakeholders will be invited through PPWE, HRDWG and DESG nominations. Two (2) participants from each member economy (one worker in the digital economy and one government/ stakeholder representative) will be invited for a total of 42 participants, with each FGD envisioned to have 10-11 participants. FGDs for workers and FGDs for government/ stakeholder representatives will be separate. Each FGD will be conducted in 4 hours (1 hour tech set-up and 3 hours FGD proper). |
| | | All FGD participants shall be asked to accomplish a pre-FGD survey to gather initial information on awareness of laws governing digital economy work, perceived challenges and needs of worker in the digital economy and ways to address these towards improved social protection and decent work. Responses to the survey will be validated and probed at the FGDs. |
| | 2 | FGD Summary and Recommendations Report | The FGD Summary and Recommendations Report will highlight findings from the virtual FGDs with workers in the digital economy and government representatives/ other stakeholders. It will outline perceived benefits and challenges from digital economy work especially effects on income and unpaid care and domestic work, and workers’ own suggestions for improvement of decent work in the digital economy. The Report will also contain information from separate virtual FGDs with government representatives/ other stakeholders on any existing laws in their respective APEC economies that govern digital economy work and official data on workers in the digital economy, if any. Finally, the Report will provide recommendations for all APEC and economy-level stakeholders to consider in developing policies, programs and activities to address gaps. The Report, estimated to be about 25-30 pages long, will contribute to the drafting of the Code of Ethics and Model Service Engagement Contract, which seek to serve as reference and guide for decent work in the digital platform economy across APEC. Highlights of the Report will be presented in the virtual Regional Launch and Presentation of Project Results in 2024. |
| | 3 | Tech Upskilling Workshop | The Tech Upskilling Workshop shall target the entry-level skilled workers/ data transcriptionists, virtual assistants, etc. who participated in the virtual FGDs in order to improve their digital and technical skills to help them enter into higher skill and higher pay jobs in the digital economy. Participants from vulnerable groups such as women, persons with physical disabilities, Indigenous peoples, and solo parents will be prioritized for the Tech Upskilling Workshop. Topics for the Workshop may include: -IT Skills -Communication Skills -Project Management Tools -Tech Industry Employment Opportunities and Career Pathways (vertical progression and lateral movements across different positions in the tech industry) Experts from the project lead (the Philippines) and co-sponsoring economies (Australia, Peru, and Chinese Taipei) from PPWE, HRDWG and DESG will be invited to present on these topics via a mix of lecture and sample application in real life settings. The Workshop will be conducted online and will accommodate 40 participants from all APEC economies. The Tech Upskilling Workshop will be conducted in 4 hours (1 hour tech set- up and 3 hours Workshop proper). A participant evaluation survey will be conducted after the Workshop. |
| | 4 | Code of Ethics and Model Service Engagement Contract | The Code of Ethics and Model Service Engagement Contract aim to define standards, principles and work arrangements for workers in the digital economy and prospective clients in the tech industry. The Code will identify values for both workers and clients across APEC for respectful and productive engagements that are free from any form of abuse, discrimination or harassment. The Contract will outline scope of work, suggest corresponding fees/ rates based on workers’ skills and experience, propose social protection coverage and other terms of engagement. The Code and Contract may be adopted by women workers in the digital economy for future clients and project undertakings, improving their social protection and economic benefits. The FGD Summary and Recommendations Report will be used as a reference for drafting the Code and Contract. The Code of Ethics and Model Service Engagement Contract combined will be about 20 pages long. |
| | 5 | Regional Launch and Presentation of Final Project Results | A Regional Launch and Presentation of Final Project Results will be hosted virtually in 2024. The programme will tentatively include: I. Opening Ceremony II. Project Background, Objectives, Methodology III. Digital Economy Work Experiences in APEC by Co-sponsoring Economies IV. Harnessing the economic power of Women in the Digital Economy V. Presentation of Final Project Results 1. Highlights of FGD Summary and Recommendations Report 2. Code of Ethics and Model Service Engagement Contract VI. Digital economy and stakeholders partnership for sustainable recovery Increase in knowledge/ awareness will be measured by pre- and post-event surveys among participants, both workers in the digital economy and government/ stakeholder representatives. Economies may also be anticipated to undertake strides to improve social protection for workers in the digital platform economy. Up to 200 participants from APEC member economies and PPWE, HRDWG and DESG will be invited to learn about the digital economy work experience across the region, acknowledge the recommendations from the project and consider the Code of Ethics and Model Service Engagement Contract, as applicable in their respective economies. The programme for the virtual Regional Launch and Presentation of Final Project Results will take a maximum of four (4) hours including breaks. |
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| | SN | Outcome Description |
| | 1 | Increased understanding of the situation of women and men workers in the digital economy across APEC, especially on perceived benefits and challenges and policy gaps |
| | 2 | Increased practical and digital skills among participants of the Tech Upskilling Workshop |
| | 3 | Increased available resources (Code and Contract) to guide APEC economies to support more women in tech |
| | 4 | Increased knowledge among participants of the Regional Launch and Presentation of Final Project Results on the situations of workers in the digital economy across APEC and possible ways to improve decent work and social protection in the platform |
| 6. Beneficiaries | The project outputs are envisioned to benefit the following: ● Women and men in the tech industry such as web designers, programmers, graphic designers, IT professionals who are currently working in the digital economy (not necessarily based in an APEC member economy), to provide their experience, concerns and policy advice on enhancing social protection and benefits; ● Government officials, policy makers and other relevant stakeholders from APEC economies in the women, labor, ICT, and social protection sectors who may address the issues and gaps in providing policy reforms towards decent work and adequate social protection in the digital economy; ● Indirect beneficiaries from the academe, research arena and think tanks in line with policy, social protection and social security that can share relevant studies that can contribute to the policy recommendations and draft code of ethics and model contract. Target participants for FGDs, Tech Upskilling Workshop, Stakeholders Consultation, and Regional Launch and Presentation of Final Project Results are outlined in the outputs section above. |