Deputy Chairperson of the National Commission on Violence against Women (Komnas Perempuan) Mariana Amiruddin has asked policymakers not to hesitate to ratify the domestic workers’ protection bill (RUU PPRT) into law.
“The aim is to protect our domestic workers,” she said at a webinar held to celebrate National Domestic Workers Day here on Monday.
The RUU PPRT bill has continued to evoke positive and negative reactions since 2004, both in terms of people’s perspectives and its substance, she noted.
Many policymakers still think the RUU PPRT is not an urgent requirement due to the small number of domestic workers in the country, she pointed out.
Many also feel that the RUU PPRT will disrupt the social and cultural orders that have already existed in society, Amiruddin elaborated.
Currently, the RUU PPRT has been included in the 2022 National Legislation Program (Prolegnas) and is still waiting to be approved as a House of Representatives (DPR) initiative bill, she added.
Even though there are seven factions in the DPR that support discussions on the bill, there are still two factions opposing it, she noted.
To this end, Amiruddin stressed that it is important for all parties to continue to push for a plenary session to confirm the status of the RUU PPRT in the future.
The Komnas Perempuan, as a human rights institution, is aiming to strengthen and raise public awareness regarding policymaking as part of the National Domestic Workers Day commemoration, she said.
Many efforts have been made by people and the government to handle the lack of protection for domestic workers, she added.
For example, domestic workers have been organized into a union so they can voice their issues and help members who experience violence, she said.
Then, advocacy and campaigns have been conducted on the issue along with the issuance of the Minister of Manpower’s Regulation (Permenaker) Number 2 of 2015, she added.
“Unfortunately, the Permenaker still does not provide sufficient protection considering there are many cases of violence experienced by domestic workers,” Amiruddin said.
Source: Antara News