"We have raised a lot of issues at the ILO Convention and one of them is migrant workers` protection in various countries, especially of Indonesian migrant workers. We have specifically made the request at a commission meeting, as well as during a special meeting with the ILO director general," he said at the opening of the 1st UNI Apro ICTS Committee Meeting here on Tuesday.
During the 101st International Labour Conference, which was held from May 30 to June 15, at the Palais des Nations and the ILO Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, Muhaimin said, he met with the ILO director general to discuss manpower issues, including that of migrant workers.
"We have conveyed to the ILO director general that the ILO must play an active role in discussing and pressuring member countries receiving migrant workers to assure the protection of the workers," he added.
After the meeting with the ILO director general, Muhaimin said, the ILO agreed to urge migrant-receiving countries to improve the protection of migrant workers.
Indonesia sends about six million workers abroad, who are spread across the Middle East and Asia-Pacific countries, as well as in Europe and America.
The highest number of Indonesian migrant workers are in Malaysia, totalling 2.5 million, followed by Saudi Arabia with 1.5 million Indonesian citizens, while the rest work in other countries, such as Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea. (*)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
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