Indonesia passes law to protect millions of domestic workers

For decades, Indonesia’s five million domestic workers, primarily women, have served as the invisible backbone of the economy. - ST

JAKARTA: Indonesian lawmakers passed a long-awaited bill to protect the millions of domestic workers, concluding years of parliamentary debate over labour rights.

The legislation secures rights to rest days, health insurance, pensions, and professional training for domestic workers, while banning wage deductions by placement agencies. Bob Hasan, chairman of parliament’s legislation body, said in Jakarta on Tuesday (April 21) that regulators now have one year to draft detailed implementation policies.