In conjunction with commemoration of this year’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence and the International Migrants Day, the ILO through the Safe and Fair programme supported the establishment of a Tripartite Plus Forum on Labour Migration on 6 December and the cultural event by women migrant workers and their families on 7 December in Cirebon, West Java. As part of the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative, the programme aims to strengthen gender-responsive approaches to violence against women and labour migration governance.

The Tripartite Plus Forum for Coordination and Social Dialogue on Labour Migration was jointly established by the District Government of Cirebon, Indonesia’s Migrant Workers Union and Women Crisis Centre of Mawar Balqis. The forum aims to provide an inclusive platform for women migrant workers to voicing their rights and aspirations to policy makers and key stakeholders on the effectiveness of government coordination in implementing the Law No. 18/2017 and gender responsiveness coordinated services as well as a case management procedure. The forum also aims to promote consensus building and democratic involvement of the key stakeholders through social dialogues.

“Applying a whole of sectoral approach, the forum places women not only as those impacted and effected by violence, but as an active agent of change. Thus, it is important to ensure that labour migration governance is gender responsive by proactively identifying and addressing gender-based barriers,” said Sinthia Harkrisnowo, ILO’s programme coordinator for Safe and Fair.

The cultural event was conducted in Gembongan Mekar Village, attended by more than hundreds of women migrant workers and their families. During the event, former migrant workers and their families raised the awareness of the village communities regarding safe migration, actions to stop violence against women and available support services through theatrical performance, poetry reading and traditional dances.

The art and cultural performances were hoped to empower understanding and knowledge of migrant workers, village community and their families about their labour rights and to strengthen the solidarity among them in preventing the trafficking in person, labour rights violations and violence and harassment against women migrant workers.

In addition, a community bazaar was organized, presenting products produced by migrant workers and showingcase the economic empowerment programme. The event concluded with a message advocating all village community to work together for safer, fairer and wider access to decent work for all Indonesian migrant workers.

To date, 70 percent of total Indonesian migrant worker are women and the majority of them working as domestic worker and/or care giver—an occupation that is not covered by labour laws in many countries of origin and destination. Due to lack of legal protection, they are also at risk of violence, trafficking, sexual harassment, labour violation and unpaid work.