*“Domestic workers are isolated, work out of the public eye, and have low social status,”* stated Sarah Carmichael, of Amnesty International Hong Kong in the Hong Kong media today. *“And, they do not receive the same legal protection as other workers under Indonesia’s Manpower Act, such as a reasonable limitation on working hours, and holidays.
“The drafting of a domestic workers protection bill was scheduled for last year, but has been repeatedly postponed. Such legislation is urgently needed to protect a particularly vulnerable group of workers. Indonesia’s continued postponement of national legislation to protect domestic workers is out of step with the global trend.”*
There is no doubt that better legal protection for Indonesia’s under-valued and exploited domestic workers at home will also have the effect of promoting the rights of overseas-bound domestic workers.
