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New legislation against sexual violence in Indonesia 

 

Sexual harassment has serious consequences for workers. But in the end, it also negatively impacts a company's productivity and performance."              Haryadi Sukamdani, President of APINDO employer organisation.

 

New legislation against sexual violence was introduced in Indonesia in April 2023. A true milestone. Many organisations, including our partner union KSBSI, have been actively lobbying for this legislation for 10 years. Safe work for women has been an important issue for KSBSI.

From left to right: vice-president of parliament, president of employers’ organisation APINDO (Haryadi Sukamdani), representative Ministry of Labour, and president of national union KSBSI (Elly Rosita Silaban), at a joint declaration for passing the law against sexual violence.

KSBSI and other unions lobbied the government and employer organisations together for this type of protection. They also set up union protests to gain attention for women’s rights.

Working with employers

In their government lobbying, KSBSI joined forces with employer orgaisation, APINDO. Their combined efforts sent out a more powerful signal. Haryadi Sukamdani, President of APINDO, reminds us that ending sexual harassment at work is also in the best interests of the employers. “Sexual harassment has serious consequences for workers. But in the end, it also negatively impacts a company’s productivity and performance. That means this protective legislation is significant.” 

A gift

Elly Rosita Silaban, President of KSBSI, is calling the new laws a gift for the entire country, and especially for its workers. “Workers are now legally protected from violence and intimidation.” Now that this legislation has been passed, she also hopes to see the government ratify ILO Agreement 190. Silaban says, “Ratifying ILO Agreement 190 would protect ALL workers, formal and informal, in the world of work." 

 

Publication date 23 05 2023