The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has released a draft Convention and Recommendation (Brown Report) on decent work in the platform economy (gig economy). This report, dubbed the Decent Work in the Platform Economy, was adopted on 13 June 2025.
ILO’s move is an important step because it shows the world is now recognizing gig work as real work that must be protected. Digital labor platforms, as defined by this Convention, are organizations that use digital technology and automated systems to arrange and facilitate work for a fee.
This includes platforms that connect people who are providing a service to those who need it, regardless of the specific nature of the work.
According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) data, the national unemployment rate in Kenya stands at 12.7%.
Struggling to find work locally, many Kenyans have turned to digital platforms such as Upwork, Fiverr, LinkedIn, Remotasks, and Clickworker for micro-tasks and other opportunities.
There are also those Kenyans who work for BPO platforms such as CCI Global, CloudFactory, Adept Technologies Kenya, INUA AI, Sama, and many others. By 2022, 1.9 million Kenyans were employed in digital or digitally enabled jobs.
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ILO on Digital Account Suspension
One of the biggest challenges faced by these gig economy workers is the inexplicable loss of their accounts due to suspension or deactivation.
Often these decisions are made by automated systems with little room for redress, putting one’s livelihood in jeopardy. ILO concluded that workers on digital platforms have rights.
Hence, each of its member countries must make sure that if a system makes a decision that affects workers or pay, affected persons must get a written explanation without delay.
Further, the report concludes that this explanation should be followed by “a human review of any decision that results in the refusal of payment, or suspension or deactivation of their account, or termination of their employment or engagement with a digital labor platform.”
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The draft urges governments to enforce local laws on all digital labor platforms. These laws would cover crucial areas like fair pay, clear contracts, union rights, worker safety, data privacy, and the right to appeal unfair account deactivations.
Additionally, it includes specific protections for migrant and refugee workers.
Gig workers in Kenya currently don’t have a minimum wage. For example, some workers at platforms like CCI Global are reportedly paid KES 25,000 per month for a standard 40-hour work week.
After deductions for PAYE, SHIF, NSSF, and the housing levy, their take-home pay is around KES 20,745. This means they earn about KES 130 per hour for 160 hours of work.
Another burning issue is that platform-based deductions on pay, such as those on Upwork, are often set arbitrarily and aren’t discussed in worker contracts or governed by local laws. These are some of the key issues for gig workers that the report aims to address.
Directive to Governments and Workers’ Unions
Governments, including Kenya’s, have been asked to submit any suggested changes or comments to the ILO by November 14, 2025. This must be done after consulting with the leading organizations that represent employers and workers.
Kenya Union of Gig Workers (KUGWO), a union dedicated to championing the rights, welfare, and protections of gig workers, has welcomed the adoption of the draft and the directive to governments, stating it’s “a turning point”.
“This report matters for Kenya because it is not just words. This means workers must be heard, and our government must take our views seriously,” KUGWO said in a post. “The future of gig work must be about decent work,” KUGWO concluded.
