Remarks at the Launch of Women Workers' Health and Productivity Movement
By Francesco d'Ovidio, Director of ILO for Indonesia and Timor-Leste at the Launch of Women Workers' Health and Productivity Movement, 12 November
First of all, I would like to congratulate Mr Ojang Sohandi, Head of District of Subang for the launch of Women Workers' Health and Productivity Movement in Subang, West Java. I appreciate his continuous support and commitment in promoting the awareness on health issues at workplace.
Women have very important role for the development of future generations. They are now active in the workplace with different kind of job. However, their health especially at the workplace are still growing issues. Many of them unaware of basic knowledge on health and nutrition. The Minister of Health at the High Level Meeting with International Buyers last week mentioned that anemia is one of the women’s health issues. The research also reveals that around 24-42 per cent of women workers have anemia or lack of iron in blood circulation.
As a tripartite organization, the ILO believe that good working conditions is not only good for workers, but also good for business. Therefore, Better Work, Yayasan Kusuma Buana and Project Hope have piloted a Women Workers' Health and Productivity Movement in five factories in Subang, and the result has been very encouraging. When workers are healthy, the working attendance will also be increased. This also means that an increasing of productivity.
ILO, through Better Work Indonesia (BWI), aim to improve working conditions and productivity in garment sector, and one of the priority issue is to promote health issue at workplace. Two main reasons are (1) good for compliance and (2) improving productivity. With majority of workers in garment workers are women, it is natural to target women workers on campaign toward women workers’ health at workplace. This is where the ILO-BWI programme aligns with the movement.
Employers play an important role for the success of the programmes. They have to take measures to address health issues at the workplace. But workers also need to take role, they need to increase their knowledge and awareness on health issues. Government can also intervene, especially through the new National Health Insurance (BPJS Kesehatan)
In conjunction with the National Health Day commemoration, I would like to congratulate the five factories and YKB for the successful pilot implementation of the programme.
ILO would also like to congratulate the Government of Subang for the launch of the Women Workers' Health and Productivity Movement. I hope this programme will inspire other areas to implement similar programmes.
Women have very important role for the development of future generations. They are now active in the workplace with different kind of job. However, their health especially at the workplace are still growing issues. Many of them unaware of basic knowledge on health and nutrition. The Minister of Health at the High Level Meeting with International Buyers last week mentioned that anemia is one of the women’s health issues. The research also reveals that around 24-42 per cent of women workers have anemia or lack of iron in blood circulation.
As a tripartite organization, the ILO believe that good working conditions is not only good for workers, but also good for business. Therefore, Better Work, Yayasan Kusuma Buana and Project Hope have piloted a Women Workers' Health and Productivity Movement in five factories in Subang, and the result has been very encouraging. When workers are healthy, the working attendance will also be increased. This also means that an increasing of productivity.
ILO, through Better Work Indonesia (BWI), aim to improve working conditions and productivity in garment sector, and one of the priority issue is to promote health issue at workplace. Two main reasons are (1) good for compliance and (2) improving productivity. With majority of workers in garment workers are women, it is natural to target women workers on campaign toward women workers’ health at workplace. This is where the ILO-BWI programme aligns with the movement.
Employers play an important role for the success of the programmes. They have to take measures to address health issues at the workplace. But workers also need to take role, they need to increase their knowledge and awareness on health issues. Government can also intervene, especially through the new National Health Insurance (BPJS Kesehatan)
In conjunction with the National Health Day commemoration, I would like to congratulate the five factories and YKB for the successful pilot implementation of the programme.
ILO would also like to congratulate the Government of Subang for the launch of the Women Workers' Health and Productivity Movement. I hope this programme will inspire other areas to implement similar programmes.