The ILO and the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) Jakarta conducted a media award for best reportage on the protection of domestic workers and the elimination of child domestic labour in Indonesia on 23 November in Jakarta. Winners from the five categories under this media award programme were divided into four types: Feature article, photo story, in-depth reporting and investigative reporting were officially announced during the ceremony.

The media award was aimed to honor the efforts of journalists and media organizations in producing outstanding journalism across a range of media that comprehensively depicts issues on domestic workers and child domestic workers. The media award was s also part of the ILO’s campaign to highlight national efforts, including mass media, in promoting decent work for domestic workers and the elimination of child domestic labour.

“The ILO greatly appreciates partnering with AJI Jakarta in this award ceremony. Through this media award, it is hoped the media could continue to educate society, reinforce national and local efforts and give the voice to the voiceless domestic workers and child domestic workers through their outstanding journalism works on these issues,” said Michiko Miyamoto, the ILO’s Deputy Director in Indonesia.

The registration and selection processes began for media articles published in the period of 1 June 2015 to 30 September 2016, produced by the journalists individually or in a team. Eighty two journalistic articles and reporting were received and were selected throughout a selection process by a panel of jurors made up of distinguished editors: Endy Bayuni, Editor-in-Chief of the Jakarta Post, Burhan Solihin, Executive Editor of Tempo.co and Mohamad Teguh, Editor-in-Chief of SCTV.

In addition to the media award, the ILO and AJI Jakarta also provided media fellowship for selected journalists to undertake in-depth media reporting on domestic workers and child domestic workers. Selected journalists from seven leading media published and aired a series of in-depth reporting covering issues: lack of regulations on domestic workers, rights to organize for domestic workers, plight of child domestic workers, lack of occupational safety and health protection for domestic workers and domestic workers as a form of modern slavery.

Two honorary appreciations were also given to domestic workers who have actively advocated their own stories and struggles as domestic workers as part of the community journalism. As an effort to continue promoting decent work for domestic workers, the ILO Jakarta have been conducting a series of writing skills trainings for domestic workers so that they could advocate their own issues and they could voice their own aspirations.

The media award and fellowship were part of the campaign conducted by the ILO through its Promoting Decent Work for Domestic Workers to End Child Domestic Work (PROMOTE) Project. Funded by the United States Department of Labour (USDOL), PROMOTE Project aims at reducing child domestic workers significantly by building institutional capacities of partners to promote Decent Work for Domestic Workers effectively.

The Winners of the ILO/AJI Jakarta Media Award 2016:

Investigative reporting:

• “Emergency of Human Trafficking in Nusa Tenggara Timur” (NTT Darurat Human Trafficking) by Johan Pahlevi of Metro TV

In-depth reporting:

• “Ani: From Darkness to Light” (Ani: Habis Gelap Terbitlah Terang) by Kenia Gusnaeni of Rajawali TV (RTV)
• “Refusing the Negligence” (Menolak Pengabaian) by Wina Triyanita Sari Simanjuntak of DAAI TV

Feature articles:

• “Hanging the Lives of Domestic Workers” (Menggantung Nasib PRT) by Kresna of Tirto.id
• “Empowering Domestic Workers” (Geliat Pemberdayaan PRT) by Dodi Prananda of Jawa Pos

Photo story

• “Story from Domestic Workers’ Shelter” (Cerita Penampungan PRT) by Andrey Gromico of Tirto.id