Ministry Of Human Rights Affirms Commitment To Protect Migrant Work

A total of 53 PMI deported from Malaysia arrived at the International Ferry Batam Center Port, Batam City, Riau Islands, Thursday (10/4/2025). (ANTARA/Laily Rahmawaty)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Ministry of Human Rights (Kemenham) affirms its commitment to protect migrant workers in a constructive dialogue with the Migrant Worker Rights Protection Committee and its Family Members of the United Nations (UN) in Geneva, Switzerland.

Acting Director General of Instruments and Strengthening HAM Harniati in a statement received in Jakarta, Saturday, said that his party was committed to strengthening human rights instruments and governance, especially regarding the protection of Indonesian migrant workers (PMI).

The Indonesian delegation affirms the government's strong commitment to protecting the rights of migrant workers and their families. A constructive dialogue with the committee provides valuable input for us, particularly regarding strengthening protection, increasing supervision of recruitment agents, as well as improving data and coordination between institutions," he said.

The dialogue took place on December 2, 2025 and is part of Indonesia's periodic reporting cycle on the implementation of the Migrant Worker Rights Protection Convention and Family Members.

Indonesia is delegated by representatives of various ministries/agencies, including the Ministry of Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers, the Coordinating Ministry for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and permanent representatives of the Republic of Indonesia in Geneva.

The Ministry of Human Rights plays a role in conveying the perspective of strengthening national human rights instruments in the implementation of the convention.

For the Ministry of Human Rights, this forum is an important momentum to explain the achievements of human rights-based policies, strengthen coordination between institutions, as well as emphasize the direction of strengthening the protection mechanism in the future.

In addition, Harniati also conveyed the importance of global cooperation to ensure the protection of migrant workers is effective and sustainable.

Indonesia is pushing for stronger international cooperation in the protection of migrant workers, including the importance of more countries ratifying the convention. We ensure that all committee recommendations will be followed up through concrete cross-ministerial steps to increase protection for migrant workers," he said.

In the dialogue session, the Indonesian government conveyed various achievements, including institutional strengthening, increasing complaint mechanisms, responding to cross-border crimes such as online fraud, as well as expanding bilateral cooperation for ethical recruitment and safer placement for PMI.

Meanwhile, the committee appreciated the transparency and quality of dialogue with the Indonesian government, as well as provided a number of recommendations to continue to strengthen the implementation of the convention.

Related to this, the Ministry of Human Rights ensures that recommendations from the committee will be important references in increasing policies, improving regulations, and strengthening coordination between institutions that handle migrant worker issues.

Indonesia first participated in this constructive dialogue in 2017, after ratifying the convention through Law Number 6 of 2012 concerning the Ratification of the International Convention concerning the Rights Protection of All Migrant Workers and Family Members (International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families)

Meanwhile, the Migrant Worker Rights Protection Committee and its Family Members consist of 14 independent experts in charge of monitoring the implementation.