A Series of Trainings for Journalists: Promoting Decent Work for Domestic Workers and Elimination of Child Labour in Domestic Works

These series of trainings are aimed to improve journalists’ capacity in promoting decent work for domestic workers and elimination of child labour in domestic workers through mass media in Indonesia.

Background and Justification

Despite significant contribution of domestic workers to the national and household economy, domestic work is not recognized as a profession and in turn it needs protection. The absence of regulation on domestic workers has made this type of work cannot afford decent work as worker. Moreover national legislative body shows reluctancy in finalizing the ill on domestic workers that had been discussed since 2004.

As a worker, domestic workers are vulnerable in term of psychology, economy, social and physical violence. They are facing violations such as: working without contract, under payment or delayed payment or even unpaid, over workload, unclear jobs desk, longer working hours that impact on their health, without holiday or leave, isolated or no access to social interaction, and vulnerable to be trafficked and so on.

The situation is even worse as in many countries, including in Indonesia, a large proportion of domestic work is performed by children or those below 18 years old, of which 25 per cent of them below 15 years old. These children can be particularly vulnerable to exploitation. Their work is often hidden from the public eye, they may be isolated, and they may be working far away from their family home. Stories of abuse of children in domestic work are all too common.

Internationally, an international instrument for protection of Domestic Workers has been adopted by the ILO in 20122. This instrument, ILO Convention 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers, provides a clear message: domestic workers, like other workers, have rights to decent working and living conditions. With regards to the elimination of child labor, Convention 189 requires the country members to determine minimum age for children to work. Government of Indonesia has not yet ratified this convention.

Program Strategies

In regard with urgency of problems and barriers, increasing public awareness in general and particularly policy makers is very important. Thus the role of mass media is critical. ILO/PROMOTE in collaboration with the Alliance of Independent Journalist (AJI) in Jakarta, Lampung, Surabaya and Makassar is going to conduct two-day training for journalists.

The training will provide participants with data and information related to domestic workers and child domestic workers at global and national level. Cases of violence experienced by domestic workers provided at the beginning of training are aimed to give the participants a sense on the issues related to domestic workers. Legal base such as ILO Convention 189 on decent work for domestic work, good practices in protecting DWs and film screening will also be shared to participants including perspectives of Manpower office, APINDO and trade unions with regards to domestic workers protection. Based on the overview provided, it is expected that journalists will develop knowledge on the issues and are encouraged to communicate the domestic workers and child domestic workers issues through their works.

In particular session on communication strategy, a senior journalist will facilitate a process on how to pick interesting angles to broadcast issues on domestic workers and child domestic workers in the mass media. This facilitator will also guide participants to identify types of activity that can be used to keep them well informed on issues and articulate them in their media.

Implementing Agency

The Alliance of Independent Journalists Indonesia (AJI) is a body that promotes press freedom and media professionalism in Indonesia. AJI Jakarta, AJI Makassar, AJI Lampung and AJI Surabaya are part of AJI Indonesia covering mainstreamed journalists and media organizations in the greater area of Jakarta, including regional correspondents. AJI is a member of International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and of the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA). AJI is also a member organization of the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA).

Together with relevant organizations, including the ILO, AJI has actively involved in joint activities to promote labour and employment issues. Media awards on labour and employment were jointly conducted in 2008 and 2009 as well as a series of media trainings on labour and employment in several key cities. A specific media award and fellowship on child labour and education was recently conducted in 2012, in collaboration with the ILO's Child Labour Programme.

AJI has also actively promoted employment related issues to media organizations and media persons. AJI has promoted the rights to organize by organizing sessions on freedom of association and rights to collective bargaining for journalists and media organizations. To date, the efforts have resulted to the establishment of journalist federation. In addition, it has also launched an annual survey on minimum wages for journalists.

Objectives

Improved journalists’ capacity in promoting decent work for domestic workers and elimination of child labor in domestic workers through mass media in Indonesia