Purpose:

This article analyzes how "nenis" in Mexico build autonomy and digital agency from a feminist social work and care perspective. It seeks to understand how these women, within contexts of structural inequality and labor precariousness, articulate digital strategies that combine economic independence, life sustainability, and community-based support networks.

Methodological design:

A quantitative approach with mixed techniques was employed. Between June 2021 and August 2022, 1,440 surveys were applied to women identified as nenis across five regions of the country. The analysis integrated complementary tools: georeferencing to map levels of digital agency, sentiment analysis to capture the affective dimension, importance-performance matrix to prioritize key factors, and factorial correspondence analysis to examine relationships among autonomy, promotion, and support networks.

Results:

Despite constraints linked to technological gaps and informality, participants demonstrated high levels of digital agency and relational autonomy. Practices of mutual care, cooperation among entrepreneurs, and emotional self-regulation emerged, strengthening the sustainability of their projects. The highest levels of digital agency were found in Mexico City, Morelos, and Queretaro.

Research limitations:

The study focuses on informal women entrepreneurs and has a crosssectional scope, so it is not statistically representative of the national population. The interpretation of emotions may reflect contextual or narrative biases.

Key findings:

The results show that nenis use digital tools not only as a means of subsistence but also as spaces for agency and mutual care that re-signify their identity and social participation. The study recommends promoting public policies on digital inclusion and psycho-emotional and financial support programs with a gender perspective and a focus on the sustainability of life.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )