GENEVA (ILO News) - The Indonesian Minister of Manpower, Mr. Fahmi Idris today submitted the instruments of ratification of International Labour Conventions on the elimination of child labour (No. 138), forced labour (No. 105) and discrimination in employment (No. 111) to the Director-General of the ILO, Mr. Juan Somavia in a ceremony at ILO headquarters in Geneva.
Mr. Somavia congratulated Indonesia on its becoming "the first country in the Asia-Pacific region to have ratified all seven of the core Conventions covering fundamental principles and rights at work." / Indonesia becomes the 47 th of ILO's 174 member States which have ratified all seven of these standards. /
Mr. Fahmi Idris said that the ratifications "reflect Indonesia's commitment to fulfilling international labour standards and its concern that social progress proceed apace with economic growth."
Mr. Somavia pledged the full support of the ILO's technical cooperation resources for Indonesia's effort to respect core labour standards: "At this historic juncture, both politically and economically, Indonesians should know that the ILO is a full partner in their country's efforts to chart a course toward democracy and renewed economic growth," he said.
The passage of the new legislation sets the minimum age for admission to employment at 15 years and commits the country to eliminating forced labour and discrimination in employment. The move follows ratifications last year of ILO Conventions guaranteeing the right of workers to organize and engage in collective bargaining.
International labour standards are international treaties and, when ratified, are subject to review by the ILO's oversight mechanism, including the Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations, which reports annually to the International Labour Conference .
The ratifications of these international Conventions take place against a backdrop of major legislative reform in Indonesia undertaken with a view to updating and modernizing the country's labour and social legislation. The new labour law programme is being implemented in consultation with employers' and workers' organizations and other concerned groups, focusing on such areas as trade unions, industrial relations, the prevention and settlement of labour disputes, overseas employment and the protection of migrant workers, social security and a variety of other subjects covered by Indonesia's Manpower Act of 1997.
The ratification of the three last core Conventions follows the signing by President J.B. Habibie and the ILO in December 1998 of a letter of intent wherein the Government pledged to proceed with these ratifications by June 1999 and the ILO committed itself to support this process and the implementation of the Conventions. Of other core Conventions, Indonesia ratified Convention No. 87 (Freedom of association) in June 1998, and the ILO commenced a programme of technical assistance for its implementation.