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Indonesia: UN Committee questions government on economic, social and cultural rights

Amnesty International Public Statement - January 21, 2014

Index: ASA 21/003/2014

The Indonesian government must respond to questions on its progress in protecting and promoting economic, social and cultural rights, as guaranteed under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), an international treaty to which Indonesia is a state party.

In its "List of issues"?, published on 20 December 2013, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the expert group tasked with overseeing compliance with obligations under the Convention, questioned Indonesia on a range of areas ahead of its review before the Committee in April/May 2014 in Geneva. Non-governmental organizations, including Amnesty International, had provided written information on the situation of economic, social and cultural rights ahead of the Committee's pre-session working group which was held on 2-6 December 2013. The following are some of the questions raised by the Committee:

  • The Committee asked the government about progress made in adopting a law on the protection of domestic workers, a draft of which is currently before the Indonesian House of Representatives. The Committee further asked for information on the "protections afforded to them and on the mechanisms of the remedies available to victims of exploitation and abuse by employers";
  • The Committee asked the government to provide information on the "impact of measures taken to improve access to, and the quality of, sexual and reproductive health services and maternal health services, particularly in rural and remote areas";
  • The Committee asked if the House of Representatives had adopted gender equality legislation and requested information on "measures taken to overcome stereotypes that continue to negatively affect the equal enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights by men and women"; The Committee requested information on the "enforcement of relevant laws prohibiting child labour and on the impact of the implementation of the National Action Plan for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour";
  • The Committee asked the government for information on the "framework for protecting the rights of indigenous populations" and steps the government had taken to address the issue of land grabbing; and
  • The Committee asked to be provided information on how the government ensures that "development and extractive projects bring tangible benefits to communities". The Committee further asked for information on how the government "responds to reports of human rights violations, loss of means of livelihood and environmental degradation, caused by development and extractive projects".

The Indonesian government must submit its replies to the Committee before the review of its compliance with the obligations. The Committee will then review Indonesia's compliance with its obligations under the Convention during its 52nd session in April/May 2014.

Non-governmental organizations can submit information to the Committee a month and a half before the beginning of the review session. Information on the 52nd session of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, including Indonesia's state report, is available at: http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/SessionDetails1.aspx?SessionID=820&Lang=en

Amnesty International's submission on Indonesia to the pre-session working group provided the Committee with information related to concerns around barriers to sexual and reproductive health rights; domestic workers in Indonesia; migrant domestic workers; and religious minority groups. The submission is available at: http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/ASA21/034/2013/en