New RealGains project supports gender equality, elimination of child labour and workers’ rights in Indonesia

A new initiative launched by the ILO with support from the Government of Canada will help Indonesia strengthen the rights of women workers and children in Indonesia, while reducing their vulnerabilities.

4 June 2025

Content also available in: Bahasa Indonesia

JAKARTA, Indonesia (ILO News) - The ILO introduced and soft-launched its new project, “Realizing trade gains free from gender discrimination and child labour (RealGains)”, during a one-day Stakeholders’ Consultative Workshop in Jakarta on 28 May. Funded by the Employment and Social Development Canada of the Government of Canada, the RealGains project aims to strengthen the implementation of the ILO’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (FPRW) in Indonesia.

We are committed to ensuring that women can work with dignity and safety while striving for a future free from child labour, where children are protected from exploitation.
Melisa Go, Senior Development Officer of the Canadian Embassy in Indonesia

The three-year RealGains project will strengthen the enabling environment for trade and investment in selected export sectors through addressing persistent FPRW deficits, particularly regarding gender-based discrimination and child labour. Covering sectors of footwear, palm-oil and lithium battery production in Java, Sumatra and Kalimantan, the project will address three main issues—gender-based discrimination, child labour and the protection of workers’ rights—through capacity building, policy development, grievance handling mechanism and improved access for workers’ rights.

Group session with people sitting on the round table — The participants actively engage in discussions, sharing insights on existing regulations and best practices concerning gender-based discrimination, child labour and workers' rights in Jakarta, Indonesia. 5/2025

Melisa Go, Senior Development Officer of the Canadian Embassy in Indonesia, emphasized that the support provided aligns with the Canadian Government's commitment to strengthening human rights and gender equality as central pillars of international relations. "We continue to support our trading conditions and uphold human rights standards to foster economic growth. We are committed to ensuring that women can work with dignity and safety while striving for a future free from child labour, where children are protected from exploitation," she stated.

Meanwhile, Simrin Singh, ILO Country Director for Indonesia and Timor-Leste, highlighted the existing gap in female workforce participation and the prevalence of child labour, particularly in Indonesia's agricultural sector and said: “Thus, today marks our commitment to collaborate through partnership and social dialogue, jointly investing in the realization of the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work in Indonesia as part of the Golden Indonesia 2045.”

Today marks our commitment to collaborate through partnership and social dialogue, jointly investing in the realization of the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work in Indonesia as part of the Golden Indonesia 2045.
Simrin Singh, ILO Country Director for Indonesia and Timor-Leste

Adopted in 1998 and derived from ILO core Conventions and Recommendations, the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work covers five categories of principles and universal rights: Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, the elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour, the effective abolition of child labour, the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation and a safe and healthy working environment.

In an effort to exchange knowledge and experiences, 60 participants representing governments, employers' and workers' organizations, the private sector, and civil society were divided into three working groups. Each group engaged in discussions, sharing insights on existing regulations and best practices concerning gender-based discrimination, child labour and workers' rights.

A man standing pointing to the presentation — The workshop ends with key recommendations to promote gender equality, eliminate child labour and protect workers' rights. 5/2025

The workshop concluded with several recommendations, including the protection of women workers' labour rights, such as maternity leave, the promotion of women's leadership and gender-based labour inspections. Regarding the elimination of child labour, participants recommended strengthening child labour screening, monitoring and tracing mechanisms, particularly at the supply chain level. Additionally, to enhance the protection of workers' rights, recommendations included reinforcing the role of trade unions and promoting awareness of the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work at the enterprise, trade union, and community levels.

"The ILO welcomes the recommended actions as foundational steps toward advancing gender equality, eradicating child labour, and safeguarding workers' rights in the country. Over the next three years, the RealGains project will continue collaborating with constituents and partners through joint programs and initiatives," stated Dede Sudono, Project Coordinator of the ILO’s RealGains Project.

The RealGains Project, set to run until December 2027, is dedicated to ensuring that women workers in export-driven footwear industries and palm oil production benefit from a safe, healthy and dignified workplace. Additionally, the project aims to reinforce the national framework for eradicating child labour, build capacity to address shortcomings in the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and enhance mechanisms for resolving labour disputes.