Civil Coalition Questions Progress on Domestic Workers Protection Bill
The Civil Society Coalition for the Domestic Workers Protection Bill (RUU PPRT) is questioning the continuation of discussions on the RUU PPRT. They assess that the legislative process for the regulation remains unclear.
“On this Kartini Day commemoration, we instead have a question: where is the RUU PPRT? This is truly ironic when we are commemorating Kartini Day but the state is ignoring the very essential contributions of domestic workers (PRT) to the formal sector,” said the representative of the Civil Coalition for the PRT Law, Eva Sundari, during a press conference at the YLBHI building in Central Jakarta on Wednesday (15/4/2026).
Eva highlighted the transparency in the RUU PPRT discussion process. She said there is no new information regarding the bill.
“The state is truly ignoring it, including now the issue is not just procedural or administrative, but governance because it turns out it’s not transparent, then not accountable in the process until where is this item? What is its status? That becomes a question,” she stated.
Coordinator of the National Network for Domestic Workers Advocacy (JALA PRT), Lita Anggraini, said that the RUU PPRT, which has been designated as a DPR initiative bill, should be sent to the President to request a presidential letter and DIM. She mentioned that the presidential letter is important to know which ministries are involved in the discussion.
“Mr Dasco stated that the RUU PPRT is in the process of presidential letter and DIM, and it will be completed this week. However, the Ministry of Law and Human Rights and the State Secretariat said they have not received the draft. This is strange; don’t let the RUU PPRT be sidelined again like the incident in 2023,” said Lita.
Vice President of KSPI, Kahar S Cahyono, reminded of the President’s promise when attending last year’s May Day to complete this regulation in a short time. He hopes that commitment will be realised.
“The President promised that this law would be enacted within 90 days. That means we have passed months and that promise has not been realised. We need commitment to fulfil this in a quick manner,” said Kahar.
Chair of the Advocacy and Network Division of YLBHI, Zainal Arifin, compared the speed of legislating the RUU PPRT with other laws. He feels the RUU PPRT is being ignored.
“If a law can provide benefits to certain groups like the omnibus law, then it will be fast. But laws needed by the people are often ignored for decades,” said Zainal.
Zainal said that domestic workers must be protected. He said that domestic workers are in a very vulnerable position.
“They are behind closed doors. When violence occurs, their voices are not heard. Delaying the enactment of the RUU PPRT means allowing the process of violence to continue in dark rooms,” he stated.
Previously, the DPR approved the RUU PPRT as a DPR initiative proposal. All DPR factions agreed with the designation.
The designation of the RUU PPRT as an initiative proposal took place in the DPR plenary meeting room, Parliamentary Complex, Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Thursday (12/3/2026). DPR Speaker Puan Maharani chaired the plenary session.
In its draft, the DPR proposes that domestic workers receive social security for health and social security for employment. Placement Companies for Domestic Workers (P3RT) are prohibited from deducting wages, collecting fees in any form and for any reason from prospective domestic workers and domestic workers, and prohibited from placing domestic workers with business entities or other institutions that are not individual employers.