It’s time to recognize Indonesian domestic workers as essential

Today, on International Domestic Workers Day, we mark fourteen years since the adoption of ILO Convention No. 189 on Domestic Workers—a landmark global commitment to uphold the rights and dignity of those who perform paid work in private homes. The Convention affirmed a simple truth: domestic workers are workers. They deserve the same protections, fair wages and respect afforded to any other profession.

Yet, across much of the region, this truth remains ignored. Domestic workers continue to be excluded from national labour laws and social protection frameworks, leaving millions without a safety net when they are most vulnerable.

Adopted in 2011, ILO Convention No. 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers was a historic step forward. It established global labour standards that recognize domestic work as real work and extended to domestic workers the fundamental rights other workers take for granted: fair wages, regulated working hours, adequate rest, social security and protection from abuse and harassment. As both a legal instrument and a moral call to action, the Convention urges governments to formalize domestic labour, ensure safe and equitable working conditions, and combat exploitation and discrimination.

In Indonesia, where millions of domestic workers remain unprotected, the ratification and implementation of Convention No. 189 is long overdue. Alongside ratification, the urgent passage of the long-crafted and debated national legislation like the Rancangan Undang-Undang Perlindungan Pekerja Rumah Tangga (RUU PPRT) or Domestic Workers Protection Bill, would affirm Indonesia’s commitment to dignified and equitable labour practices.

The journey to enact the RUU PPRT has been long and challenged. First introduced in 2004, the bill aims to provide legal recognition and protection for domestic workers. Although it was officially designated a House initiative in March 2023, it faced repeated delays and has yet to be prioritized in the national legislative agenda.

This delay is not just bureaucratic—it has real, human consequences. Domestic workers, despite their essential contributions to households and the broader economy, remain especially vulnerable to abuse, exploitation, and poor working conditions. The absence of enforceable rights perpetuates a cycle of invisibility and injustice.

Civil society and labour organizations have campaigned relentlessly for nearly two decades to break this cycle. Their advocacy gained renewed momentum last month with President-elect Prabowo Subianto’s unequivocal public pledge to prioritize the passage of the Domestic Workers Protection Bill on Labour Day (1 May 2025) in front of a crowd of thousands at Monas. His administration’s support presents a pivotal opportunity to translate years of promises into concrete protections. Aligning with both national values and international obligations, this commitment represents a critical step toward justice for millions of workers.

Let us be clear, recognizing domestic workers’ rights is not an act of charity, it is a necessary and forward-thinking policy choice. Governments can enact strong legal protections. Trade unions can organize and amplify the voices of domestic workers. Employers can ensure decent working conditions and fair treatment. And society as a whole must begin to see domestic work not as invisible or informal, but as a vital part of our economy and resilience.
Protecting domestic workers and acknowledging their essential role in our homes, our labour force, and our national wellbeing, must be central to that vision.

It’s time to build a future where domestic workers are no longer overlooked in our laws or homes. It’s time to treat their work for what it truly is: essential.