Deputy Speaker of MPR States Domestic Worker Protection Bill Provides Legal Certainty for Household Workers
After more than two decades of struggle, the draft Domestic Worker Protection Law (RUU PPRT) has been formally established as a House of Representatives Legislative Initiative during a full session of the House of Representatives on Thursday 12 March. This designation represents a crucial step towards providing legal certainty and protection for domestic workers in Indonesia.
Lestari Moerdijat, Deputy Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR), stated that this regulation is vital to close the gap in legal protection that domestic workers have long experienced.
“After a struggle lasting more than two decades, the designation of the Domestic Worker Protection Bill as a House Legislative Initiative represents an important moment to provide stronger protection for domestic workers in Indonesia,” said Moerdijat in a statement on Thursday 12 March 2026.
She made these remarks whilst present as a member of the House of Representatives during the 16th full session of the House, fourth sitting period of the 2025-2026 legislative year, at the MPR/House/Regional Assembly Complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Thursday 12 March.
Previously, the House Legislative Body’s plenary session on Wednesday 11 March had agreed to bring the bill to the full session.
According to Moerdijat, the existence of a Domestic Worker Protection Law will provide a clearer legal framework for employment relationships between domestic workers and employers, which has so far largely occurred informally without clear standards.
“The Domestic Worker Protection Law is important to ensure certainty in employment relationships, protection from violence and exploitation, and recognition of domestic work as dignified work,” Moerdijat stated firmly.
She assessed that domestic workers have so far been in a vulnerable situation due to the absence of comprehensive regulations concerning their rights, obligations, and legal protection mechanisms.
“This bill is not only about worker protection, but also provides legal certainty for all parties in domestic employment relationships,” added Moerdijat, who is also a member of Commission X of the House of Representatives.
Despite becoming a House Legislative Initiative, Moerdijat emphasised that the legislative process must still pass several stages before it can be enacted into law.
These stages, she clarified, include the issuance of a Presidential Letter to begin discussions with the government, submission of a Problem Inventory List from the government, First-level discussion between the House and the government, and Second-level discussion in a House plenary session for ratification.
For this reason, Moerdijat invited all stakeholders to continue to monitor the Domestic Worker Protection Bill discussion process to ensure that the expected protection substantive content is genuinely realised in strong and implementable regulations.
Additionally, the senior member of the NasDem Party also expressed appreciation to various parties who have consistently advocated for the enactment of this regulation, including civil society organisations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), domestic worker communities, observers, academics, and various societal elements who have continued to voice and monitor this bill.
“This long struggle is collaborative work. For more than two decades, various parties have continued to push for domestic workers to receive adequate protection. Appreciation to all elements who have consistently monitored this process,” she said.
Furthermore, Moerdijat hopes that discussion of the Domestic Worker Protection Bill can proceed constructively, resulting in a law capable of strengthening domestic worker protection whilst creating fair and dignified employment relationships.
“Let us together monitor until the Domestic Worker Protection Bill is truly enacted into law,” she concluded.