Parking Since 2004 At The DPR Desk, NU Urges The Bill On The Protection Of Domestic Workers To Be Immediate Ratification

Chairman of the Bahtsul Masail Qanuniyah Commission at the 34th NU Congress, Mujib Qulyubi. ANTARA/HO-PBNU

JAKARTA - Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) will urge the ratification of the Bill (RUU) for the Protection of Domestic Workers (PPRT). This bill is still parked on the table of DPR legislators.

"This is highlighted because it is stalled and has not been ratified. It concerns the fate and rights of the little people. So that's what we must encourage that NU is also present to defend the little people," said Chairman of the Bahtsul Masail Qanuniyah Commission at the 34th NU Congress, Mujib Qulyubi in a written statement received from Jakarta, Antara, Wednesday, November 24.

The bill on the protection of assistants or domestic workers is one of the themes of discussion in the 34th NU Congress which is planned to be held on December 23-25 in Lampung Province.

Since it was proposed in 2004, this bill has been included in the National Legislation Program (Prolegnas) of the DPR RI. Every term of the term of office of the DPR-RI, the discussion is always stopped, even though the bill is an urgent need to protect domestic workers.

The work area of domestic workers is in the domestic and private spheres so that government control does not exist. Whereas private jobs like this are prone to exploitation, discrimination, harassment, and even violence.

Mujib emphasized that there are still many domestic workers in Indonesia who have not yet received proper rights. With the passage of the Domestic Workers Bill, the position of domestic workers will be even stronger.

"So this household assistant is a symbol of the grassroots, the little people, so NU must not allow people who are already weak to be weakened by the system. That is not allowed. There must appear and be present NU with all its tools," he said.

Based on a survey conducted by the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the University of Indonesia in 2015, the number of domestic workers was 4.2 million with an increasing trend every year. This figure is quite large as workers who have not been recognized and protected so far.

In terms of quantity, the number of domestic workers in Indonesia is considered the highest in the world when compared to several countries in Asia such as India (3.8 million) and the Philippines (2.6 million).

Meanwhile, in percentage terms, the majority of domestic workers are women (84 percent) and children (14 percent) who are vulnerable to exploitation or at risk of human trafficking.

Another urgency is that domestic workers are vulnerable workers. They work in inappropriate situations, including long working hours (no time limit), no rest, no holidays, no social security. In addition, they are also vulnerable to violence at work both economically, physically, and psychologically (intimidation, isolation).

Domestic workers are also classified as labor force who are not recognized as workers, so they are considered unemployed.