JAKARTA: Indonesian domestic worker Rizki Nur Azkia had been kicked, punched and beaten by her former employers, a couple living in Jakarta.
“If the dishes weren’t clean enough, the wife would tell me to be naked and would make a video of me. I was stripped to the skin and told to sleep on the balcony,” the 18-year-old recalled.
“She would then pour syrup on my body and lock the balcony door. The next morning, she would open the door.”
Domestic workers in Indonesia like her could soon get better care and legal recognition, as the government speeds up deliberations on a proposed law aimed at offering better protection for them.
The Domestic Workers’ Protection Bill, which has been in limbo in parliament for 19 years, is now a priority for the Indonesian government.
PROTECTING DOMESTIC WORKERS MADE A PRIORITY
Activists said they have received more than 3,200 complaints of violence against domestic workers since 2015.
The Bill to protect domestic workers is now a priority for the government.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo said: “To promptly enact the Bill on the protection of domestic workers, I have instructed the Legal and Human Rights Minister and Manpower Minister to immediately coordinate and consult with lawmakers and all stakeholders.”
Under the Bill, employers who are guilty of violence against their domestic workers can be jailed up to eight years.
The Bill also sets the minimum age of domestic workers at 18.
In addition, workers and employers must enter into a written contract setting out the various terms and conditions. These include salary and benefits, working hours, and rest days.
Domestic workers are hopeful that after waiting nearly 20 years, their rights can be ironed out sooner rather than later.
“I think this is good because for rest days, some of us get two days in a month or once a week. That’s based on the agreement between the domestic worker and employer,” said domestic worker Sania.
She added that with the proposed law, employers cannot do as they wish to act against domestic workers.
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