Antara, Jakarta – Indonesia ratified the much-anticipated Domestic Workers Protection Law (PPRT Law) after more than two decades of struggle. The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) hailed the government's move as strategic steps towards strengthened state recognition, human rights protection, and social justice for domestic workers across the country.
Komnas HAM chief Anis Hidayah said the ratification marks the state's commitment to fulfilling its constitutional obligations towards human rights instruments, especially in providing protection for "a vulnerable group who has long been marginalized," she said on Wednesday, April 22.
After more than two decades of struggles and lack of clarity, domestic workers in Indonesia – estimated at 4.2 million across the country, the majority of whom are women – finally gained recognition and legal protection after the parliament passed the Domestic Workers Protection Bill on Tuesday.
The Indonesian domestic workforce has long been marred with a myriad of issues, from job insecurity and minimal legal protection, to inhumane working conditions, according to a 2022 study by Komnas HAM. These conditions led to vulnerability to repeated human rights violations against domestic workers.
In 2024 alone, the country's human rights agency recorded at least 47 complaints of alleged human rights abuse against domestic workers, ranging from physical, psychological, and sexual violence, wage discrimination, exploitation, forced labor practices, and modern slavery.
The newly ratified domestic workers' law outlines several measures to strengthen protection for the group. These include recognizing domestic workers as legitimate employees protected by law; social security and employment protection, including a living wage and protection from violence; and a minimum age of 18 to prevent child labor.
The regulation also stipulates clear employment agreements between workers and employers, as well as mechanisms for monitoring, dispute resolution, and capacity building for domestic workers.
The bolstered protection for domestic workers, according to Komnas HAM, is integral in promoting a more just and humane employer-employee relationship while preventing discriminatory practices in the domestic sector.
"With the ratification of the PPRT Law, we hope employment relationships will uphold the values of humanity and justice," said Anis.
Going forward, Komnas HAM emphasizes the importance of effective implementation through monitoring, public education, and cross-sector coordination to ensure optimal and sustainable protection for domestic workers.
Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/2099664/indonesian-domestic-workers-to-see-justice-after-landmark-la