Child labor issue draws WB concern<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The poor condition of Indonesian child and women
\nlaborers is drawing concern from the World Bank's local
\nrepresentative office.<\/p>\n
Nisha Agrawal, an expert from the bank's Jakarta office, said
\nthat despite some progress, exploitative child labor and poor
\nworking conditions, especially for women, are two of the many
\nproblems that require government intervention.<\/p>\n
Quoting the Labor Force Survey of Indonesia, she said there
\nare about two million child workers between the ages of 10 years
\nand 14 years in the country.<\/p>\n
They are voluntarily employed to help the poor economic
\nconditions of their families, she said yesterday in a seminar on
\neconomic reforms and labor market restructuring for Indonesia.<\/p>\n
She said that no data is available on the number of child
\nworkers below the age of 10 but estimates indicate there are
\nbetween 2.3 million to 2.9 million children employed in the
\nindustrial and informal sectors, including in factories and on
\nthe streets in urban areas.<\/p>\n
\"These estimates indicate that one out of every 10 children
\nin this age group is working, even excluding those working on
\nfarms,\" she said.<\/p>\n
She added that the number of child workers was declining due
\nto the nine-year compulsory education program for school-age
\nchildren and a high economic growth in the last two decades.<\/p>\n
Nisha disclosed the results of a study conducted in 1995 by
\nthe World Bank in a textile factory in Medan, North Sumatra,
\nwhich shows that dozens of children between 10 years and 14 years
\nare employed from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m.<\/p>\n
\"The child workers earned US$7.50 a month. Twice a day, the
\nchildren got a bowl of rice with some fish and they had a day off
\nonly on Sundays,\" she said.<\/p>\n
She said that while the total number of child workers has
\ndeclined by about 26 percent during the 1986 to 1994 period, the
\nnumber of children working in urban areas has doubled due to
\nindustrialization.<\/p>\n
\"This trend is true for both boys and girls,\" she added.<\/p>\n
She pointed out that despite child labor legislation, the
\ngovernment was lacking in its administrative capacity to enforce
\nthe law.<\/p>\n
\"The government has even issued a ministerial decree
\nstipulating explicit acknowledgment of the fact that child labor
\nis a problem in Indonesia. The decree, issued in 1987, is against
\nthe law.\"<\/p>\n
Besides Law No. 1\/1991 banning child labor, Indonesia has
\nratified International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention No.
\n138 on minimum wage employment.<\/p>\n
She said that to eradicate child labor, the government should
\nfully enforce the law and ILO convention, provide a safety net to
\nprotect the poor and expand opportunities for quality education.<\/p>\n
Nisha said that the poor working conditions of women in the
\nformal sector, especially in the labor-intensive manufacturing
\nsector, was beginning to emerge as a problem that needs serious
\nhandling.<\/p>\n
She argued that despite standards set for women workers in
\ntheir workplace and the labor market, women workers are still
\nsubject to discrimination.<\/p>\n
She pointed out that a recent survey on female workers in
\nnonunionized factories in Java found that out of those who
\napplied for maternity leave, only 47 percent got it and of that
\nonly 12 percent were paid for the maternity leave.<\/p>\n
Many women workers have also been fired because of marriage,
\npregnancy and giving birth, she said, citing that this was
\nagainst the protective standards and policies ensuring equal pay
\nfor jobs of equal values and equal employment opportunities.<\/p>\n
She also criticized the nationwide malpractice of not
\nproviding women workers with family and medical allowances. She
\nsaid if women workers are not entitled to such allowances they
\nshould be awarded with, for instance, a higher financial
\nremuneration, or other compensations.<\/p>\n
Nisha said that although Indonesia has ratified the 1979 UN
\nConvention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against
\nWomen, through Law No. 7\/1984, abuses of women rights are still
\nrampant in the country. (rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/child-labor-issue-draws-wb-concern-1447893297",
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