HIV and AIDS and Indonesian Migrant Workers Project

The main objective of the project is to contribute to the prevention of HIV and AIDS and the reduction of its adverse consequences on social, labour and economic development by addressing HIV and AIDS prevention among migrant workers.

Project rationale

Between 2001 and 2006, 2.5 million Indonesians went abroad in search of a better economic future. Every year, twice as many Indonesians choose to go overseas without documentation. While migration and mobility are not in themselves risk factors for the transmission of HIV, what may be called “unsafe migration” creates conditions of vulnerability. The effects of low levels of formal education, exclusion, loneliness, exploitation and other hardships confront many migrant workers and may increase their vulnerability to HIV. Taken together, these factors increase the risk of sexually transmitted infection (STI) and HIV transmission, especially for women and girls.

Project strategies

To achieve the objectives above, the ILO HIV and AIDS and Indonesia Migrant workers Project is assisting the National Agency for Placement and Protection of Indonesian Overseas Workers (BNP2TKI), the Ministry of Health, the National AIDS Commission, recruitment agencies, migrant workers, the Association of Medical Clinics for Indonesian Overseas Migrant Workers (Hiptek) and NGOs to:

  • Improve policies on HIV pre-departure orientation and HIV testing for migrants;
  • Improve HIV prevention information and education for migrant workers during the pre-departure stage;
  • Coordinate efforts on HIV prevention for migrant workers at the national and provincial level; and
  • Monitor and evaluate interventions and progress.

Key partners

  • Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration
  • National Agency for Placement and Protection of Indonesian Overseas Workers (BNP2TKI)
  • Ministry of Health
  • AIDS Commission at the national, provincial and district level
  • Indonesian Employers’ Association (Apindo)
  • Migrant Workers’ Employment Agencies Association (APJATI)
  • Trade unions
  • Association of Medical Clinics for Indonesian Overseas Migrant Workers (Hiptek)
  • Indonesian Migrant Workers Union (SBMI)
  • Enterprises
  • Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS
  • NGOs

Achievements to date

  • Joint Guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and BNP2TKI on migrant-friendly HIV testing procedures.
  • HIV and Safe Migration training materials developed for pre-departure instructors, recruitment agency instructors and dormitory heads and NGO field staff.
  • Participatory tools on HIV vulnerabilities in the migration process developed and utilised. These tools are: a simulation game entitled “My Journey with the Magic Key” and a movie, “Safe Migration Saves Lives - Reaching Dreams”.
  • 51 pre-departure session instructors from 16 BP3TKI trained on HIV and Safe Migration have been conducting HIV pre-departure sessions for approximately 7,650 migrant workers each month since February 2007.
  • 99 instructors and 65 dormitory heads from 80 recruitment agencies have been providing HIV education to approximately 12,000 migrant workers each month since March 2007 through classroom interaction and using the participatory tools.
  • 281 NGO facilitators trained on HIV and Safe Migration.
  • Working Group on Mobile and Migrant Populations (with tripartite membership) established in the National AIDS Commission.

For further information please contact:

ILO Office for Indonesia and Timor-Leste
Menara Thamrin, Level 22
Jl. M.H. Thamrin Kav. 3
Jakarta 10250
Tel. +6221 3913112
Fax. +6221 3100766
Email