Gender-responsive protection and services for Indonesian migrant workers are essential to ensure equality for women that are more vulnerable to varying forms of threats, according to Minister of Manpower Ida Fauziyah.

The minister stated that despite Indonesian migrant workers, particularly female workers, having a positive impact on the national social and economic development, they remain prone to threats of exploitation, abuse, and violation of their labor rights.

“If we speak about the gender-responsive standard operation procedure (SOP), it does not mean the SOP is reserved only for women. Gender-responsive means that everyone will have equal access and rights, regardless of whether they are men or women,” Fauziyah stated during the gender-responsive Indonesian migrant workers protection and services guide launch ceremony observed virtually here on Wednesday.

The minister highlighted that female migrant workers have a higher vulnerability of being exposed to exploitation during their work period.

According to the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI) Crisis Center data, some 12,508 cases were reported to the agency during the 2017-2019 period. Most complaints are filed by domestic workers, mostly women, and boat crews, she noted.

Most complaints reported by migrant workers pertain to human rights violations, work exploitation and unpaid wages, harassment and physical violence, as well as human trafficking, the minister highlighted.

The gender-responsive guide, completed under the collaboration between the ministry and representatives of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Indonesia, is launched as an implementation of Article 2 of Law No. 18 of 2017 on Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers, Fauziyah remarked.

The article mandates the authority to protect migrant workers by respecting equality of rights for all migrant workers and recognition of human rights, democracy, gender equality, non-discrimination, and anti-human trafficking values.

The minister expressed optimism that the guide would be implemented by officials while instructing relevant authorities to monitor the implementation and ministry’s officials to disseminate information and also monitor implementation of the guide.

“(Those measures are necessary) because we want to ensure that our commitment will be fulfilled properly,” Fauziyah remarked.

Source: Antara News