YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia is known as a supplier country of migrant workers (TKI and TKW) to several countries, particularly Malaysia and Saudi Arabia. Although this has already run a long time, problems still appear from rampant illegal migrants to physical, economic and social violence towards workers.
The Center for Women Studies (PSW), Dra.Sri Djohar Winarlien Sugiharto, S.U, said that although there is no accurate data that can reveal the magnitude of illegal migrants, but she expected that the number is quite large. As a result, this condition also creates problems, especially related to law and protection.
"Many illegal workers from Indonesia received discriminatory treatment, having legal issues and being imprisoned," said Djoharwinarlien, Thursday (4/3).
The high numbers of agricultural workers, farm and domestic workers illustrate that those working in the sector have low education level. In this region, the impact that most likely will arise is discrimination.
Djoharwinarlien explains some cases of violence against Indonesian women workers, especially in countries that do not have manpower agreements with Indonesia, persistently occurred in recent years. This has been followed up by the Centre in cooperation with the Council of Professors (CoP) by holding a workshop with the theme “Responding to the Vulnerable Conditions of Indonesian Women Workers Abroad” as an effort to find a solution to the problem.
"The workshop has actually run last year and resulted in some critical notes to the government," said the lecturer of the Department of the Governmental science.
Some of the critical notes produced are that UGM will specifically organize a thematic KKN (Community Empowerment Program Field Practice) in the area of TKI/TKW to give assistance to future and former migrant workers, encouraging educational institutions in the area of migrant workers to create a local curriculum that is especially prepared on the skills, language and knowledge of the law. As we all know, some areas that have been known as the areas of migrant workers in Indonesia are Cirebon, Cianjur, Sukabumi, Lombok and Malang.
"In addition, UGM also encourages BNP2TKI to firmly combat illegal migrant worker’s brokers and the recruitment agencies and to impede the operating permit for the troubled recruitment agency," Djoharwinarlien explained.