House says help is on the way for Indonesian maids

Lawmakers from House of Representatives Commission IX overseeing health, manpower and transmigration promised on Sunday to pass a law this year to protect the rights of Indonesia’s four million domestic workers.

“It has been determined in the National Legislation Program that this issue will be dealt with this year. We are ready to hold seminars and summon stakeholders for discussions,” Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) lawmaker Sri Rahayu, a Commission IX member, said during Sunday’s commemoration of Domestic Workers Day, organized by an alliance of labor watchdogs across the capital.

Sri Rahayu said a working committee had been set up and deliberations focusing on the bill would begin in March.

“It could take as long as six months for deliberations, plus an extra three months to push this bill into law,” she said.

Another Commission IX member from the PDI-P, Rieke Dyah Pitaloka said on Sunday that she was optimistic the bill would be passed into law this year.

“We have a moral obligation to the people in regard to passing this into law. We are morally indebted to them,” Rieke said.

She said employers should provide a day off each week for workers, health care and social security, as well as a clear working contract.

Once the law is passed, Rieke said, it will be difficult for people to hire domestic workers and then neglect their rights.

“Under the law employers could be sanctioned for not providing those rights to workers,” she said.

Subagyo, a deputy at the State Ministry for Women’s Empowerment, said the ministry fully supported Commission IX’s planned bill.

A number of nongovernmental organizations overseeing domestic workers, under the coordination of the National Network for Domestic Workers Advocacy (Jala PRT), commemorated Domestic Workers Day on Sunday.

The date was chosen to commemorate the death of a 15-year-old domestic worker, Sunarsih, from Pasuruan, East Java. On Feb. 12, 2001, Sunarsih was tortured to death by her employer.

Jala PRT has been calling for a law to protect domestic workers since 2004. From 2005 to 2009, the network has received 472 reports of domestic workers allegedly being subjected to abuse in cases that include sexual harassment by employers, delayed wages and excessive workload.

According to Jala PRT, a domestic worker in the capital is paid about Rp 400,000 ($42) a month. Jakarta’s official monthly minimum wage in 2010 is Rp 1.1 million, though domestic workers aren’t covered by the law.

Selvia Hariyanti, a 13-year-old domestic worker, said she did not know anything about the bill or her rights. “I don’t know [about the bill] but I think it’s important,” said the elementary school graduate, who earns Rp 300,000 per month babysitting and cleaning a house from 6 a.m. to noon

“So far I feel fine, my employers are kind to me.”

Lita Anggraini, chairwoman of Jala PRT, said the group of NGOs had already given their recommendations on the bill. She said the new law should provide workers with a weekly day off, a standard salary, clear working hours and time for educational pursuits and other opportunities for self-betterment. The group has also urged the government to acknowledge Feb. 14 as National Domestic Workers Day.

“After the bill is passed, it is very important to set up a monitoring team,” Lita said. “The central government should work with the local administrations.”

“I also expect the media to help us spread this idea, because frankly, many of our migrant workers are not even aware of this legal process.”

Rieke said the bill would cover the protection of four million domestic workers in Indonesia. There are another six million Indonesian domestic workers living abroad.

Sri Rahayu said: “At least we can show international audiences that we are committed to protecting our domestic workers in the country. So hopefully, they will also do the same out there.”

Source: The Jakarta Post

Author: Anita Rachman

Publishing date: 15.02.2010