Indonesia Recognizes Domestic Workers’ Rights After 22-Year Legal Battle

After nearly two decades of advocacy, Indonesia’s legislative body has finalized legislation to safeguard the rights of domestic workers. This marks a significant shift in the nation’s labor laws, as the group has long been excluded from formal employment protections. With an estimated 4.2 million domestic workers across the country, the majority of whom are female, the new law introduces measures such as health insurance, mandatory rest days, and pension entitlements.

The law also prohibits placement agencies from withholding wages and bans the employment of minors under 18 in domestic roles. For many, the enactment feels like a long-awaited victory. Ajeng Astuti, a domestic worker, expressed her emotions to BBC Indonesian:

“It’s like a dream come true. This is our 22-year struggle as marginalized women to gain protection.”

A Long Road to Implementation

Though the law was first proposed in 2004, it faced repeated delays. For years, parliamentary debates on the issue stalled, only resuming in 2020. Regulators will now have a year to develop detailed implementation guidelines. Despite their essential role in the economy, domestic workers were historically overlooked by local labor regulations, often working informally without contracts or fair compensation.

Jumiyem, a worker from Yogyakarta, shared her sentiment:

“We’ve been longing for this [law], and now we can feel it.”

Rights organizations praised the breakthrough but emphasized that challenges remain. Lita Anggraini of the Jala PRT group told AFP that public awareness campaigns are crucial to ensure employers understand their obligations. The group documented over 3,300 incidents of violence against domestic workers between 2021 and 2024, including both physical and emotional abuse.