Jurnal Perempuan
Vol. 25 No. 3 (2020): Women Migrant Workers

Protection for Women Migrant Workers: The Delaying Legal Reform

Sulistyowati Irianto (University of Indonesia)



Article Info

Publish Date
08 Sep 2020

Abstract

Seen as a breakthrough in protecting migrant workers, of whom are predominantly female, Law No. 18/2017 on the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (The Migrant Workers Act of 2017), replacing Law No. 39/2004, is not void of imperfections. Prima facie, the act may be seen as progressive development in protecting Indonesian migrant workers, having embraced the many experiences and realities their profession entails. However, upon investigating the Act under the careful lens of Feminist Jurisprudence as well as other national legal instruments for gender equality, the Migrant Workers Act of 2017 still provides unsatisfactory details in regardsto the protection of female workers; if the government does not quickly act by making corresponding regulations, the Act will in fact, introduce us to new problems from what was seen as a one-size fits all solution. In its implementation, legal literacy becomes one ofthe most profound challenges the 2017 Act faces. Field research findings in three areas (Sukabumi, Lampung, and Jakarta) show that legal literacy on this Act remains sparse. This article will address problems in regards to the 2017 Act, its implementation, and solutionsto develop more tangible legal instruments in protecting Indonesian migrant workers, in particular, women, who, in foreign lands, often face the risk of violence and abuse on a daily basis with little to no protection.  

Copyrights © 2020






Journal Info

Abbrev

ifj

Publisher

Subject

Arts Humanities Education Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media Law, Crime, Criminology & Criminal Justice Social Sciences

Description

Jurnal Perempuan is a quarterly interdisciplinary publication in the English language and Bahasa Indonesia circulating original ideas in gender studies. JP invites critical reflection on the theory and practice of feminism in the social, political, and economic contexts of the Indonesian society. We ...