Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) has called on presidential, vice-presidential, and legislative candidates to give priority to domestic workers' issues in their political agendas if elected to office.

"Ahead of the National Domestic Workers' Day on February 15 and the 2024 General Elections, we ask the leader and legislators that will be elected later to listen to and learn about the issues of domestic workers," Komnas Perempuan member Tiasri Wiandani said during a webinar on Tuesday.

She noted that there are a few candidates contesting the general elections who have raised the issue of domestic workers' protection in their vision and mission statements.

Meanwhile, deputy chairperson of Komnas Perempuan, Olivia Salampessy, expressed hope that the legislators elected for the 2024–2029 period will support the deliberations on and the ratification of the Domestic Workers' Protection Bill (PPRT Bill).

"In the general elections this year, we have a lot of hope and urge legislators who will be elected later to support the deliberations and the ratification of the PPRT Bill," she highlighted.

Komnas Perempuan considers 2024 crucial for the bill's passage, she said. If no topics from the bill's Problem Inventory List (DIM) are discussed and agreed upon during initial House of Representatives (DPR) deliberations, the bill will not carry over and will require complete resubmission.

"This means we must start from scratch to propose the PPRT Bill to the legislative process," she explained.

Indonesia will hold the general elections on February 14, with around 204.8 million voters expected to participate.

Voters will elect a president and vice president, as well as members of the House of Representatives (DPR), Regional Representatives Council (DPD), and Regional Legislative Councils (DPRD) at the province, city, and district levels.

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Translator: Anita Permata, Raka Adji
Editor: Anton Santoso
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