Indonesia proposes strengthening ASEAN inclusive employment guidelines
The Indonesian Government, through the Ministry of Manpower (Kemnaker), has proposed strengthening inclusive employment guidelines in Southeast Asia (ASEAN) through indicators that can help measure the implementation of inclusivity in the workplace.
Director General of Industrial Relations and Social Security (PHI and Jamsos) at Kemnaker, Indah Anggoro Putri, said Indonesia views the “Guideline to Promote Inclusive Employment for Persons with Disabilities” as an important instrument for strengthening the application of inclusive employment principles in ASEAN countries.
“These guidelines are important to ensure that the principle of inclusive employment can be applied in practice and provide benefits for diverse groups of workers,” said Indah in an official statement received in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Indah also expressed appreciation for the Vietnam-Japan project, which focuses on implementing the guidelines, including through identifying barriers to accessing employment, strengthening reasonable accommodation, and improving workplace accessibility for diverse groups of workers.
She assessed that the effectiveness of the guidelines could be strengthened by including indicators that help employers measure the application of inclusivity values in various aspects of employment, from recruitment, career development and retention to worker participation.
“These guidelines also need to consider a tripartite cooperation mechanism so that the government, employers and workers’ organisations have a role in monitoring the implementation of inclusive employment practices,” she said.
Furthermore, Indah believes the guidelines have the potential to become a shared reference for countries in Southeast Asia in building an inclusive labour market that is resilient to changes in the world of work.
“Indonesia is ready to contribute and further strengthen this cooperation in the spirit of mutual learning, ASEAN solidarity, and South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC),” she said.