Press Release
”Fulfill One Paid Day Off for Foreign Women Domestic Workers”

Commemorating International Solidarity for Migrant Workers 
18th  December,  2007

The Indonesian women, as many women in Asia, move from their countries to find work to support themselves and their families. Domestic work is essential and valuable work for continuity of life. It also have contribution to economic of sending country as well as receiving one. Economic of those countries develop dynamicly with their contribution.¹ Ironicly, domestic work is not recognized as work. Domestic workers are not protected by the National Labour Laws of most countries in the world. In Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan, are few countries which recognize and protect domestic work, but still, there are violation of rights of foreign women domestic workers there.   

As workers, foreign women domestic workers should have rights of limition of working hours and leave which internationally prevail. All workers in the world have rights to work 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week and 1 paid day off per week, as stipulated in ILO Convention. Besides reatification of ILO Convention, Indonesia also regulate such provision in Act No. 13 Year 2003 concening Empowerment. Unfortunately, those rights have not enjoyed yet by foreign women domestic workers, because law is not recognize domestic work as work.

Leave is rights and essential for foreign women domestic workers in reducing risk of abuse and exploitation at work. Exploitation at work can cause of accident, treated inhuman and depression. Rights to have leave is very important to understand, to realize, and to socialize for foreign women domestic workers. One-paid day off per week can used for communication among workers, recreation, reading, be organized and discussion of many things. This is fulfillment of civil-political rights and economic- social-cultural rights as guaranteed in Act No. 11 year 2005 and Act No. 12 year 2005 concerning ratification of ICESCR and ICCPR.

As followed We urge :

1. Legislative assembly and Government of Indonesia to recognize domestic work as work with amend Act No. 13 year 2003 concerning of Empowerment or pass bill regulate domestic work.
2. Government of Indonesia put provision ”one paid day off” for foreign women domestic workers as condition in Memorandum Of Understanding (MoU) between receiving countries and ensure of its implementation with taking provision of ”one paid day off” in standard contract between employer
   
3. Government of Indonesia to socialization ”one paid day off” to foreign women domestic workers recruit, with put in curriculum pre-departure which conducted by government as well as Private Agency.

Protect and strengthen foreign women domestic workers will provide gender-equality, uphold human rights and ensure human development and good governance.²

Karawang, 17th December, 2007

by³:
Solidaritas Perempuan (Women Solidarity),
Solidaritas Buruh Migran Karawang (Solidarity of Migrant Workers Karawang)
Gerakan Perempuan untuk Perlindungan Buruh Mgran
(Women Movement for Protection Migrant Workers)
LBH Jakarta (Jakarta Legal Aid)

Contact Person:
Salma Safitri Rahayaan (Solidaritas Perempuan) HP  0812 9500 898
Dadang Mukhtar (SBMK) HP 0856 93199 582
Lenny Dasuha (GPPBM) HP 0817 6893 068
Asfinawati (LBH Jakarta) HP  0812 8218 930