(It is) because moving from rural to urban areas without clear plans will make the situation difficult for the migrants and cause problems for the destination cities.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Women's Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA) Ministry emphasized that people keen on seeking better work opportunities in big cities after Eid al-Fitr should possess adequate skills to enable them to successfully improve their welfare.

"These people are usually not expertise-wise and mentally ready (to work in big cities)," Assistant Deputy for the Protection of Rights of Working Women and Handling of People Trafficking Crime (TPPO) of the ministry Priyadi Santosa noted in a webinar on Thursday.

Santosa stated at the webinar titled “Preventing Female Villagers from Being Trapped by the Glamor of the Capital City After Eid Al-Fitr Exodus” that several people came to big cities without specific skills, so they were unable to make their life better than what it was in the village.

These rural-urban migration activities cause an increase in the number of street children, homeless people, beggars, commercial sex workers, and slums in big cities.

This condition is often used by irresponsible parties to exploit migrants as TPPO victims, the assistant deputy stated.

"This situation is widely used by irresponsible parties to lure (the migrants by saying that they will get a job) with a large salary, but small labor,” he remarked.

He stated that the migrants, most of whom are women with inadequate education and no reference, often end up working as prostitutes.

Santosa noted that rural-urban migration activities always occur annually after the commemoration of the Islamic holy day, estimated to fall on April 22 this year.

However, he expected that local governments of the regions of origin of the migrants will actively educate villagers keen on moving to big cities.

Furthermore, the assistant deputy appealed to people to ensure that they already have a job and a place to live -- either belonging to them or their relatives -- in the city.

"(It is) because moving from rural to urban areas without clear plans will make the situation difficult for the migrants and cause problems for the destination cities," he remarked.

During last year’s Eid al-Fitr homecoming period in May 2022, the Jakarta Provincial Government estimated 20 thousand to 50 thousand new migrants to come to the capital after the holy day.

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Translator: Anita Dewi, Uyu Liman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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