Jakarta – The government is working on a draft regulation aimed at improving the rights of housemaids and to provide legal certainty for the domestic workers generally in Indonesia.

Manpower and Transmigration Minister Erman Suparno, in a speech read by the acting Director General for Labor Guidance and Supervision, Suwito Ardiyanto, said here Wednesday the government needed to protect housemaids.

Erman said his office was currently discussing the draft with the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy, the Coordinating Ministry for People's Welfare, the State Ministry for Women's Empowerment, the Justice and Human Rights Ministry, the Social Services Ministry and the Education Ministry.

"National standards for recruitment systems, job descriptions and rights of housemaids will be set out in the regulation," Erman's speech read. "The regions will have the chance to draft their own local regulations, which are related to labor markets in those regions."

Erman's speech was read at the opening of an international conference on forced labor in South Jakarta, co-organized by the Tjoet Nyak Dien Cluster, the Women's Echo Cluster and the NGO's Network for Handling Child Labor (JARAK).

According to 2003 data from the International Labor Organization, Indonesia has more than three million housemaids and domestic workers.

A domestic worker is defined as someone who works – and often lives – within the employer's household. The worker performs typical domestic chores including cooking, ironing, washing and cleaning.

Although it is common knowledge that of these workers do not receive commensurate payment, the flow of such workers is unstoppable because of the rapid urbanization in the country. Most employers do not seem to consider housemaids as professional workers because the work scope is in a private home.

JARAK said about 50 percent of employed housemaids spend more than 12 hours a day fulfilling their duties. It also said they were prone to physical, mental and sexual abuse.

Suwito said Indonesian and other employers needed to change their attitude toward household help. "This kind of mindset must be eradicated," he said. He said the Manpower and Transmigration Ministry would speak about this matter in meetings with other ministries.

Abdul Hakim from ILO said the lack of legal protection was one of the main reasons for the current state of affairs. He urged the government to ensure workers be protected under the new regulation.

Aida Milasari of the Women's Echo Cluster said 45 percent of domestic workers in Greater Jakarta were being forced to work. "We must hold a continuous campaign to prevent this forced labor," she said.