The event successfully brought together government representatives including from the Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration, the Ministry of Forestry, the National Development Planning Agency (BAPPENAS), Provincial Government East Java, Provincial Government East Kalimantan, as well as employers’ and workers’ representatives and donor agencies to highlight the importance of issues concerning illegal logging, green jobs and other labour-related matters in the forestry sector.

As a country with the largest forestry industries in the Asia Pacific Region, Indonesia plays an important role within the geo-political, economic and climate change context. The forestry industry have delivered significant contributions to the gross domestic product, foreign exchange, government revenue and employment over the last decades.

Despite the fact that there is potential for enterprise development and job creation in forestry in the next ten years, recently the sector has experienced declining growth and structural changes.

The productivity of Indonesian forest industry remains low, while the amount of waste generated by mills and the production process is high. This leads to declining international competitiveness. Many wood-processing firms are heavily indebted and lay-offs of factory workers have increased. Another important issue is illegal logging and its consequences for the environment and communities depending on the forest, as well as for wood-processing companies and workers.

The jobs in the forestry sector are generally considered to underreported, mainly due to the nature of the work, which is seasonal, and often part-time. The majority of workers in the formal forestry sector are men, but certain types of jobs, such as reforestation, fuel wood gathering and agro-forestry include an increasing number of women.

These issues under the framework of the Green Economy, were addressed through the adoption of the “Just Transition Framework” under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen 2009 for a fair and sustainable shift to a low-carbon economy. The Transition Framework includes maintaining the quantity and quality of jobs through implementing the Decent Work Agenda of rights at work, employment, social protection and dialogue. The application of this Framework in the forestry sector will have great significance with regard to the environmental, social and economic challenges and potentials facing Indonesia.

For further information on Regional Workshop on Decent Work in the Indonesian Forestry Industries event in Surabaya, please contact:

Mr Tauvik Muhammad
Programme Officer of the ILO Office Jakarta
Tel.: +6221 3913112 ext. 103
Mobile: +62811 910 1145
Email

Josephine Imelda
Communication Assistant
Telp.: +6221 39139112 ext.115
Mobile : +62857 101 86867
Email