Indonesian Parliament Passes Landmark Law Recognising Domestic Workers After Two-Decade Fight

Indonesia's parliament has finally passed legislation to protect the rights of domestic workers, 20 years after the initial proposal. The new law extends legal recognition, health insurance, rest days, and pensions to an estimated 4.2 million domestic workers, predominantly women, who were previously excluded from formal labour protections.

Placement agencies are now prohibited from implementing wage deductions, and the employment of children under 18 in domestic roles has been outlawed. For many workers, the passage of this law represents the culmination of a decades-long struggle for basic protections.

A Protracted Legislative Battle

The Domestic Workers Protection Law was first tabled in 2004 but faced repeated delays, with parliamentary discussions stalled for years before recommencing in 2020. Regulators now have a year to draft the detailed implementation policies for the new framework.

Millions of Indonesia's domestic workers, despite their integral role in the national economy, have operated without legal contracts, enduring long hours for minimal pay, with some entering the profession as young as 12. Rights organisations have documented thousands of cases of violence against domestic workers, including physical and psychological abuse, between 2021 and 2024 alone.

While rights groups have welcomed the law, they caution that significant work remains. Lita Anggraini of the Jala PRT rights group emphasised the necessity of a public education campaign to inform employers of their new responsibilities under the legislation, underscoring that the fight for full protection is not over.