The COVID-19 pandemic has been leaving a significant impact on the Indonesian labour market. According to the Statistic Bureau of Indonesia (BPS), the COVID-19 pandemic has affected over 29 million workers in Indonesia as of August 2020, adding to the existing pool of about seven million jobseekers that face significant difficulties in finding a job. While the development of vaccination gives hope, a labour market recovery tends to lag behind an economic recovery. Thus, the number of workers and their families who are affected by the pandemic is likely to stay at a high level throughout 2021 and during the first half of 2022. It is therefore urgent to save and create jobs. Business continuity and safety at workplaces are vital to this goal.

Against the backdrop, a new ILO project will promote job creation by enhancing COVID-19 prevention at and through workplaces and improving safety and health for workers, which is an indispensable precondition to business re-opening, continuation and expansion. The ILO has supported the government of Indonesia and social partners on the establishment of the national guidelines on COVID-19 prevention at workplaces. Based on the national guidelines and international good practices, the project intends to provide technical assistance to 1,500 workplaces to ensure necessary COVID-19 preventive measures are implemented. Through knowledge-sharing and awareness raising activities, the project promotes preventive measures against the new coronavirus in at least 1,000 additional workplaces. It also strengthens the capacity of the government, workers’ organizations and employers’ organizations so that they can effectively cope with the pandemic today and public health crises in future.

Speakers

Opening remarks
Ida Fauziyah, Minister of Manpower, Masami Tamura, Minister and Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Japan in Indonesia  and Michiko Miyamoto, Country Director of the ILO in Indonesia

Panel discussions

Dr. Yuka Ujita, Senior Specialist on Occupational Safety and Health of ILO Geneva

Haiyani Rumondang, Director General of Labour Inspection and Occupational Safety and Health of the Ministry of Manpower

Danang Girindrawardana, Executive Director of the Indonesian Employers' Association (Apindo)

Ristadi, President of the National Trade Union Confederation (KSPN)

Dr. Eddy, (MS (OH), Chairman of Indonesian Medical Association for Occupational Health (IDKI)  

Abdul Hakim, Project Coordinator of the ILO's Enhancing the Prevention of COVID-19 at and through Workplaces

Moderator
Desca Lidya Natalia, AJI Jakarta