The protection of our citizens overseas, majority of whom are migrant workers and work in the domestic work sector, is the work scope of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Member of Commission IV of the House of Representatives (DPR), Luluk Nur Hamidah, has asked Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi to get involved in the discussion on the domestic workers' protection bill (RUU PPRT).

"Our international diplomacy would be stronger if we have a bill that provides protection to domestic workers," she said.

Hamidah made the statement at a webinar on 'Strengthening Support for Policymakers and Building a Strategy to Push the Ratification of Domestic Workers' Protection Bill,' which was aired on the National Commission on Violence against Women's (Komnas Perempuan's) YouTube channel here on Monday.

The majority of Indonesian migrant workers are domestic workers, she noted.

"They are domestic workers, too, but live abroad," she added.

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According to Hamidah, Indonesian migrant workers who work as domestic workers often experience violence and unfair treatment in their place of work.

Therefore, through the ratification of the RUU PPRT, Indonesia can improve protection for migrant workers because it already has a law that strengthens Indonesia's diplomatic position, she pointed out.

"I think this is the resonance we are hoping for. Thus, what we are doing here (in the country) actually has positive implications and (will have an) impact on our millions of citizens who are abroad and working as domestic workers," she said.

To this end, she emphasized that it is important for the government to involve the Foreign Affairs Minister in discussions on the bill and push its ratification.

"The protection of our citizens overseas, majority of whom are migrant workers and work in the domestic work sector, is the work scope of the Minister of Foreign Affairs," she remarked.

Hamidah expressed the hope that the discussion on the RUU PPRT bill would be accelerated if the Foreign Affairs Minister voices her support for it and deems it necessary for strengthening Indonesia's efforts to protect domestic workers abroad.

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Translator: Putu Indah, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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