An Indonesian delegation has submitted to the UN General Assembly’s committee session a draft resolution on migrant worker protection. The resolution is expected to be adopted in the near future. “Issues on migrant workers have become a global problem that concerns many countries, including Indonesia,” said Indonesian permanent representative at the United Nations Rezlan Ishar Jenie said here on Sunday. He expressed his confidence that many countries would support the draft Indonesian resolution. Jenie made the remarks at a post-fasting month ‘Halal bi Halal’ get-together with the Indonesian community at his official house, New Rochelle, north of New York.

Besides Indonesia, the Philippines, which has a large number of migrant workers abroad, also supported the draft resolution proposal. In the resolution, Indonesia gave much emphasis on the protection of migrant workers working in the informal sector. “Indonesian women working as domestic helpers are included in the informal sector,” said Muhammad Anshor, first secretary of the Indonesian permanent representatives at the UN.

International regulations on the protection of migrant workers in the informal sector are not yet enough, he said. “Migrants working in the formal sectors such as nurses and laborers already have provisions under the International Labour Organization,” he added.

The draft resolution Indonesia has submitted included legal protection for Indonesian female workers once an incident happens with their employers, basic salaries and the rights to take a leave. Migrant workers who failed to produce the required documents must also receive legal protection.

At present, deliberations on the contents of the draft resolution are still proceeding before the draft could be endorsed by UN General Assembly’s Committee. “Countries which receive many migrant workers such as Saudi Arabia and Malaysia, are generally critical in assessing the draft resolution,” Anshor said. He therefore called on worker supplier countries to be selective in sending migrant workers that meet the qualifications needed by recipient nations.

“I hope this resolution would be adopted without voting because it would be stronger if it is accepted by consensus,” he added.
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(ANTARA)

NEW ROCHELLE, NY, Nov 7 Asia Pulse

Wahyu Susilo
Project Officer Poverty & MDGs
International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development (INFID)
Jl. Mampang Prapatan XI/23
Jakarta 12790
Phone: 62-21-79196721/22
Fax: 62-21-7941577
e-mail: wahyu@infid.org
website: www.infid.org, www.infid.be