ILO and its partners join forces to protect Indonesian migrant workers from financial cyber threats

CIREBON, West Java, Indonesia (ILO News) - Around 140 prospective migrant workers and village community members in Cirebon, West Java – 90 percent of whom were women – participated in pilot training workshops on financial cybersecurity and safe internet practices for Indonesian migrant workers. This initiative marks a significant step toward protecting migrant workers, especially women, from online financial fraud and digital threats.

Held over three days from 16 to 18 September, the training was jointly organized by the ILO, the Ministry for the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (KP2MI/BP2MI), the Cirebon Manpower Office and Saver Global, a financial services company. Sessions were delivered by local partners, including public employment service officers, Migrant Worker Resource Centres (MRCs), women’s crisis centres and the Federation of Indonesian Migrant Worker Unions.

Cybersecurity and safe internet use are essential for Indonesian migrant workers to protect personal and financial data from theft and fraud, secure devices from malware and hacking and build trust when interacting with employers or other parties online.

Sinthia Harkrisnowo, ILO’s Coordinator for the PROTECT Project in Indonesia

The ILO’s support was provided through its Ensuring Decent Work and Reducing Vulnerabilities for Women and Children in the Context of Labour Migration in Southeast Asia (PROTECT) project, funded by the European Union (EU). The project is jointly implemented by the ILO, UN Women, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to safeguard the rights of women migrant workers and migrant children across the region.

“Cybersecurity and safe internet use are essential for Indonesian migrant workers to protect personal and financial data from theft and fraud, secure devices from malware and hacking and build trust when interacting with employers or other parties online,” explained Sinthia Harkrisnowo, ILO’s Coordinator for the PROTECT Project in Indonesia. “Cybersecurity also helps prevent extortion (ransomware), operational disruptions and protects the reputation of migrant workers from data misuse.”

© ILO

© ILO

The event was officially opened by Police General Raja Sinambela, Director of Cybersecurity at KP2MI. In his remarks, he emphasized the importance of recognizing migrant workers as key contributors to national development, deserving not only acknowledgment but robust protection. He also highlighted the socio-economic risks posed by digital threats and the need for proactive cybersecurity measures.

Dwi Sulistiorini, Deputy Head of the Cirebon Manpower Office, expressed deep appreciation for the initiative, noting its role in building digital resilience among migrant workers. She also acknowledged the contributions of migrant workers and local partners from Cirebon District, including village heads, employment service officers, women’s organizations, and migrant unions.

The training programme utilized the SaverLearning application to deliver digital training content accessible to all participants. SaverLearning is a financial education platform that makes learning about finance easy and rewarding through courses, tools and games. Two new digital courses are available in Bahasa Indonesia via the application, covering topics such as safe money transfers, mobile payments and password protection. Additionally, the Safe Surfing course provides guidance on avoiding scams, phishing and online fraud.

These courses and the learning application will be further utilized by MRCs to educate migrant workers and communities on cybersecurity and safe internet practices. Additionally, the ILO facilitated a workshop to develop a joint recommendation aimed at strengthening government policies and capacities related to digital safety for migrant workers.