This shows that these issues should be worked on collaboratively. These issues became the concerns for all parties, both domestic and overseasJakarta (ANTARA) - The Manpower Ministry unveiled gender-responsive Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) service and protection provision guideline to ensure protection to those vulnerable to exploitation, especially women.
During the virtual unveiling event on Wednesday, Manpower Minister Ida Fauziyah noted that women PMI bring positive contribution to socio-economic development.
Despite this, migrant workers are a group of people most vulnerable to exploitation, harassment, and manpower rights' violation, she emphasized.
The guideline is not solely intended for Indonesian women workforce. However, gender-responsive means that all workers, regardless of gender, must receive equal access to protection.
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However, in particular, she highlighted that Indonesian women migrant workers were increasingly vulnerable to exploitation and harassment as was observed from the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency's (BP2MI's) data.
During the 2017-2019 period, the agency had received 12,508 complaints, most of which were reported by women domestic workers.
In general, the reported cases concern human rights violations, work exploitations in the form of unpaid wages, harassment, and also human trafficking.
The government continues to ensure protection to its citizens, including those working as migrant workers, Fauziyah explained.
One of the efforts made by the government to realize this is by issuing Law No. 18 of 2017 on PMI Protection.
The law ensures protection before, during, and even after the citizens' work as Indonesian migrant workers.
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As part of the protection efforts, the ministry collaborates with various stakeholders, including the International Labour Organization representatives in Indonesia, and created the guideline.
In addition, the standard operating procedure for the provision of service and protection to Indonesian migrant workers during the new habit adaptation era had also been unveiled.
"This shows that these issues should be worked on collaboratively. These issues became the concerns for all parties, both domestic and overseas," the minister remarked.
The unveiling event is highly strategic for the sake of improving the stakeholders' understanding and commitment to ensuring a COVID-19 and gender-responsive workforce migration management.
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Translator: Prisca Triferna, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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