INDONESIA Jakarta gives new impetus to law to protect domestic workers

Responds to the increase in cases of violence reported in the news. A rule conceived 20 years ago, but that successive legislatures left aside. Activists and NGOs point out that the transition from liberal Joko Widodo to conservative former general Prabowo Subianto makes approval even more urgent.

Jakarta () – The intensification of cases of violence reported in the news has once again focused attention on a law for the protection of domestic workers that was presented in Parliament 20 years ago. It is a reality that affects at least five million people, most of them women, and the lack of legal recognition as a category protected by labor laws encourages abuse. That is why NGOs have renewed pressure to approve it before the changing of the presidential guard in October, which will mark a less socially sensitive “turn” from the liberal Joko Widodo to the conservative and former general Prabowo Subianto.

Several human rights and workers’ organizations are making their voices heard and warn that if there is no news soon, the issue could be postponed again indefinitely with the renewal of the House of Representatives after the new presidential inauguration.

On June 16, activists and citizens belonging to the National Advocacy Network for Domestic Workers gathered in front of the Chamber’s headquarters in the capital on the occasion of World Domestic Workers Day because, As the organization’s national coordinator, Lita Anggraini, noted, “the bill was introduced 20 years ago, but the House remains reluctant to recognize them as full-fledged workers. The result is that domestic workers continue to suffer violations of their rights.” as human beings, as workers and as citizens”.

It is difficult to understand the difficulties in the itinerary that the measure followed in a country that not only has a large number of people employed in the service of families but also “exports” domestic workers to many countries in the world. Consequently, the new standard should be especially sensitive to this priority.

The proposed law establishes education and professional qualification, balance of rights and obligations between workers and employers, reasonable hours, one day off a week, 12 days of annual leave, health and employment insurance and a minimum age of 18 years. There are also penalties for assault and violence by employers. However, the project does not establish a minimum wage or hour limit, nor does it recognize the right of union association. In addition, workers who are hired directly by families and not through an employment agency would be excluded from the benefits of the law.

Despite the law’s shortcomings, it would still be a significant advance. In fact, despite having been initially included in the parliamentary planning of the legislature between 2005 and 2009, and subsequently the subject of some interest or some study initiatives, in practice no substantial progress has been verified.