“This law must be able to break the chain of exploitation, as well as provide respect for human rights and justice for millions of our domestic workers,” Habib Syarief, a member of the House of Representatives’ (DPR) Legislative Body, said here on Tuesday.
The PPRT Law is expected to become a legal instrument that provides maximum protection for the approximately 4.2 million domestic workers in Indonesia—the majority of whom are women and children.
He said that this group of workers has been the most vulnerable to exploitation, discrimination, and inhumane treatment.
A crucial point in the PPRT Law, according to him, is ensuring access to social security, both health and employment. These basic rights have often been neglected, even though domestic workers work in sectors that carry a high risk of working without leave and unilateral wage deductions.
Syarief also highlighted the strict regulations regarding the minimum age of 18 for domestic workers, which is in line with the Child Protection Law and the Manpower Law—ensuring the elimination of the practice of employing underage children.
"The minimum age requirement of 18 must be complied with without compromise. No children should ever work as domestic workers again. This is a decisive step to ensure their future," he said.
In addition to legal protection, the PPRT Law also mandates the central and regional governments, as well as placement companies, to provide vocational training.
This empowerment program is expected to improve the competency of domestic workers, giving them added value and greater bargaining power in the workforce.
"Education and vocational training are crucial for empowering domestic workers. We hope that this law will further recognize the dignity of domestic workers and ensure their rights are fully protected by the state," he noted.
The DPR RI approved the PPRT Bill to be enacted into law on Tuesday, after a long process of 22 years.
House Legislative Body chairman Bob Hasan described the passage of the bill—after more than two decades of deliberation—as the “most beautiful gift” for Kartini Day, commemorated annually on April 21.
The government is required to issue implementing regulations within one year after the law comes into force.
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Translator: Tri Meilani Ameliya, Yashinta Difa
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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