Promoting labour rights of domestic workers through movies

Around 700 enthusiastic viewers flocked the XXI cinemas in Lampung, Makassar and Malang, attending the launch of the ILO’s ‘We Have the Same Right’ Campaign and the screening of short films regarding the rights of domestic workers in the third of February 2018. The launch is conducted in conjunction with the commemoration of the National Day for Domestic Workers which falls on 15 February and the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Month.

These launches were a follow-up to the national launch held in Jakarta in September last year, attended by at least 200 viewers. In total, the campaign has reached around 900 viewers representing national and local government agencies, domestic workers organizations, domestic workers, academia, civil society organizations, employers of domestic workers, mass media organizations and public at large.

I value the important contribution of domestic workers in our households. Without them, we cannot function and we cannot perform our works or be economically active outside our home."

Dr. Syamsu Rizal, Vice Mayor of Makassar

The ‘We Have the Same Right’ Campaign consists of seven short videos, showing important roles of domestic workers in people’s lives, plights, journeys and hopes of the domestic workers. The Campaign focuses on labour rights of domestic workers that are often forgotten such as, among others, domestic workers’ rights to have one-day off/leaves, to have working contract, to be protected by national health system, minimum working age for domestic workers and to have safe and healthy working conditions.

“I value the important contribution of domestic workers in our households. Without them, we cannot function and we cannot perform our works or be economically active outside our home,” said Vice Mayor of Makassar, Dr. Syamsu Rizal, commenting on the campaign. His statements were well-portrayed by one of the screened films, “Good Morning, Rida”.

‘Good Morning Rida’ highlighted the important roles and contributions of domestic workers in the households. The short film depicts a chaotic morning at Rida’s home when she learned that her domestic worker does not show up for work due to a family emergency. Rida and her family have to endure the chaotic domestic works while at the same time being pursued by job matters.

Meanwhile, other domestic workers attending relayed their work experiences with the film of ‘Susi Needs a Job’, portraying a child domestic worker who has to endure heavy burden of domestic works and has to face work hazards. Suriyati, a domestic worker from Lampung, told her experience being electrocuted when ironing because of an exposed wiring and being exposed to chemical substances from cleaning materials.

The film has enlightened and inspired me to register my domestic worker in BPJS Kesehatan. This will provide protection for both employers and workers."

Niami Indah Wati, an employer of domestic worker in Malang

“As domestic workers we have to face work hazards in our daily work. I was once fell from the second floor and being electrocuted from an exposed wiring. However, when I informed my employer, I did not received any response or action to improve the situation. My employer even cut my salary when I was sick and unable to work for several days after experiencing work injuries,” she said.

Niami Indah Wati, an employer of domestic worker in Malang, admitted that some employers have not yet realized work hazards that have to be endured by domestic workers. “I have had a traumatic experience when my domestic worker had her finger cut. I realized that we have to take certain actions to ensure a safe working environment not only for the domestic worker but also for all members of the household,” she said.

She was also inspired by one of the screened film titled ‘When in Sickness’ portraying the importance of health protection for domestic workers and the obligation of the employers to ensure that their domestic workers are protected by the National Health Protection System (BPJS Kesehatan). “The film has enlightened and inspired me to register my domestic worker in BPJS Kesehatan. This will provide protection for both employers and workers,” she added.

Irfan Afandi, Advocacy Specialist of the ILO, emphasized that domestic workers have the right to be protected from hazards and unsafe working conditions. To continue promoting OSH culture in domestic work, the ILO has developed a practical, easy-to-apply checklist to guide domestic workers and their employers in improving working conditions in domestic environment called Work Improvement in Domestic Environment (WIDE).

“The checklist applies a participatory method based on self-help voluntary actions. The method helps both workers and employers carry out immediate improvements using locally available resources,” explained Irfan. He also added that domestic workers who understand OSH would work more effectively and would benefit both workers and employers.

To continue promoting OSH culture in domestic work, the ILO has developed a practical, easy-to-apply checklist to guide domestic workers and their employers in improving working conditions in domestic environment called Work Improvement in Domestic Environment (WIDE)."

Irfan Afandi, Advocacy Specialist of the ILO

In addition to the three films above, the four other films are ‘Happy Birthday, Alan’ about written employment contract, ‘Mona’ regarding one-day off/leaves, ‘Sukma’s Dream’ on child domestic labour and ‘Domestic Workers in Move to Make a Change’ portraying five domestic workers who strive to improve their quality of works and fight to realize their labour rights to be recognized as workers.

Jakarta, Malang, Lampung and Makassar are the four targeted areas of the ILO's programme to promote decent work for domestic workers and to eliminate child domestic workers in Indonesia: ILO-PROMOTE Project. Funded by the United States Department of Labour (USDOL), ILO-PROMOTE Project aims at increasing the knowledge, skills and expertise on reducing child domestic workers and promote decent work for domestic workers.

The project has been running in Indonesia for four years since 2013 and would come to an end in March 2018.