The Speaker Of The House Of Representatives Calls For The Importance Of Equality And Protection For Female Workers

JAKARTA - The Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, called for the importance of fighting for workers' rights in Indonesia, including equality and increasing protection for female workers. This was said by Puan during the commemoration of International Labor Day (May Day) which is celebrated every May 1.

"May Day's moment should be a reflection point for all elements of the nation to ensure that justice and worker welfare are not only slogans, but become a major foothold in every state policy," said Puan Maharani, Friday, May 2.

Previously, Puan was also present at the celebration of International Labor Day at Monas with President Prabowo Subianto, Thursday, May 1, yesterday. At the commemoration of International Labor Day 2025, Puan reminded the importance of the State and the world of work to pay greater attention to the fate of female workers, who often face double burdens as the backbone of the family as well as household administrators.

Every worker woman has the right to have a fair opportunity in a career, free from all forms of discrimination, violence, and harassment in the workplace. The state and business world are obliged to create a safe, humane and inclusive workspace, including for working mothers," he said.

Puan's statement is in line with the mandate of Law No. 4 of 2024 concerning Maternal and Child Welfare in the First Phase of the Thousand Days of Life (KIA) as part of the state's commitment to protect the rights of women and children, especially in the eyes of mothers as workers.

In this law, the Government and the industrial world are required to provide spaces for specific needs for workers, such as lactation spaces, child care, proper maternity leave, and family-friendly working time. For this reason, Puan requested that this rule be implemented in the world of work without limiting the spaces of equality and justice for female workers.

The spirit of women is not just labor, they are the support of the family and future generations. So the state is obliged to ensure that the workplace becomes a fair, safe, and prosperous growth space for women while continuing to support the principles of equality and justice," said the former Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture.

Puan also said that every policy maker must ensure that workers or workers in Indonesia get proper welfare. Starting from fair wages, comfort and security at work, to health insurance, insurance in old age, and guarantees for workers if they lose their jobs.

"Of course this is our homework (PR) together, including the DPR which continues to ensure that every regulation and government program supports the fulfillment of welfare for workers," said Puan.

Puan realizes that currently there are many labor challenges faced by workers, both with the high unemployment rate, lack of employment, low labor quality, wage inequality, and the recent storm of layoffs (PHK) in Indonesia.

The unstable global economic condition has caused many workers to lose their jobs and income. This alarming situation is increasingly demanding the presence of the State for workers in the country," he said.

For information, the Ministry of Manpower (Kemenaker) noted that the number of workers affected by layoffs (PHK) in Indonesia had reached more than 18,000 people, only the first two months of 2025. This number adds to the length of the unemployment list in Indonesia, considering that last year a storm of layoffs also occurred.

According to the Ministry of Manpower, the number of workers who experienced layoffs during January-December 2024 reached approximately 80,000 people. The wave of layoffs in recent years has emerged from the manufacturing sector, one of which is the textile giant Sritex, which has to lay off more than 10 thousand workers. A number of other manufacturing companies also stopped operating in early 2025.

Due to the phenomenon of this layoff storm, Puan encouraged the strengthening of the Government's role in facilitating employment opportunities and protecting workers' rights.

"The tripartite Forum (government, employers' organizations, and labor organizations) must seriously think about the many problems of layoffs, sit down together to find solutions," said Puan.

Puan added that the DPR continues to oversee the phenomenon of this layoff storm. One of them is by providing assistance to workers who are laid off and ensuring that their rights are fulfilled.

"The DPR also always provides supervision of the performance of partners in the government and ensures that every existing regulation is pro against the needs of workers," he said.

On the other hand, Puan highlighted age discrimination in job applicants. This is because job vacancies in the country generally limit the age of applicants in the range of 25 to 31 years.

"Conditions like this certainly make it difficult for the victims of layoffs to return to work in the formal sector. We hope that the Government can encourage companies and employers to be more open to applicants who are quite old," said Puan.

"Usually workers who are old enough have more experience and skills that can certainly provide benefits to the company, even though opportunities for the new workforce must also be provided," he continued.

Puan also emphasized the importance of workers to adapt to changes in technology and the global economy. Because the development of digital technology and the globalization of the economy pose new challenges for employment in Indonesia, such as the emergence of new jobs and the loss of employment.

"Improving the quality of education and training, especially those relevant to the needs of the labor market, is a need for the world of employment today. Including how the Government also needs to increase support for workers in the informal sector," explained Puan.

According to him, this effort is important considering that around 58 percent of jobs in Indonesia are engaged in the informal sector. Puan assessed that this condition also creates work vulnerabilities, the absence of career levels and work hours that are too high for workers in the sector.

"The presence of the Government is very much needed, to ensure that workers or workers who work in the informal sector also get rights and justice. Of course, the DPR is ready to cooperate with the Government and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that every worker in the country, regardless of the type of work, obtains proper welfare and livelihood as regulated in the constitution," concluded Puan.