Maid's Tears Flow as Domestic Workers' Protection Bill Passes After Repeated Protests

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - A domestic worker named Suranti (55) cried while watching the DPR plenary session approve the Domestic Workers’ Protection Bill (RUU PPRT) into law.

Suranti said she was happy and grateful because the RUU PPRT, which she had long fought for by participating in various protest actions, was finally passed.

“I am also happy at heart, I am grateful. Day and night I was in front, enduring the heat. Turns out I could enter inside to something cool like this. Thank you very much, oh God. God has made it happen, oh my, thank you very much,” said Suranti while crying, on Tuesday (21/4/2026).

“Every action, I rode my motorbike. I am 55 years old,” she said.

On the same occasion, Litta Anggraini, Coordinator of the National Domestic Workers Advocacy Network (JALA PRT), stated that they were grateful, considering the struggle to pass the RUU PPRT had been ongoing for 22 years.

Litta explained that they had undertaken all difficulties, actions, lobbying, and campaigns for millions of domestic workers.

Meanwhile, Ajeng Astuti from the Sapulidi Domestic Workers Union conveyed that she had been working as a domestic helper for 35 years.

Ajeng was grateful that the RUU PPRT was passed on Kartini Day.

It is known that the RUU PPRT was proposed by the National Domestic Workers Advocacy Network or JALA PRT to the DPR since 2004.

However, this bill only entered the National Legislation Programme (Prolegnas) in 2010.

Then, in 2013, the RUU PPRT finally entered the table of the DPR RI Legislation Body (Baleg) for the next stage.

In the 2014-2019 DPR period, the discussion of this bill stopped at Senayan. In the next period, this bill was processed again.

The RUU PPRT did not proceed smoothly with the people’s representatives because the DPR Leadership Meeting on 21 August 2021 postponed bringing the RUU PPRT to the Legislative Committee (Bamus).

Public demands strengthened for this bill to be continued in discussion until completion by the DPR and the government.