OIC members urged to protect workers

OIC members urged to protect workers

JAKARTA (JP): Women activists are calling on Azzedine Laraki,
the newly elected secretary-general of the Organization of the
Islamic Conference (OIC), to insert into the agenda of member
countries the protection of migrant workers.

A peaceful demonstration was being organized to draw the
attention of the OIC meeting, which concludes here today, toward
the plight of migrant workers in many of the organization's 53
member states.

Tati Krisnawaty of the Solidaritas Perempuan (Women's
Solidarity), a non-governmental organization for women issues,
said the conference should not only discuss "big, state issues"
but also problems faced by the common people.

She told The Jakarta Post yesterday that many OIC members
either send or receive migrant workers, especially women, many of
whom are employed in the domestic sphere which often lies beyond
the reach of legal protection.

"We are demanding stronger protection for woman migrant
workers," Tati said.

Laraki, former Moroccan prime minister, was unanimously
elected as the new secretary-general yesterday.

Morocco, according to Tati, has ratified the International
Convention on the Protection of All Migrant Workers' Rights and
Members of their Families. "This fact should enable Laraki to
push the issue of better treatment for workers onto the agenda of
OIC members," she said.

On Tuesday, the Solidaritas Perempuan staged a protest at the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs over women workers who died abroad,
calling on the government to better protect Indonesian workers
overseas.

The Ministry of Manpower reportedly responded to the protest
by questioning the labor export companies responsible for the
sending of the 10 women workers who died of various unverified
causes in Saudi Arabia.

"Doesn't it sound odd that the workers reportedly died of
heart problems while the health tests performed by the labor
export companies mentioned nothing of heart problems?" Tati
asked.

The cruel treatment of women migrant workers is said to be
most rampant in Arabian countries. Statistics last year stated
that at least 1,500 Indonesian woman workers in Saudi Arabia were
raped and abused.

Following harsh public criticism over the poor treatment
Indonesian workers faced overseas, the government has started to
phase out the sending of unskilled workers and instead increase
the export of skilled workers. It has also promised to improve
legal protection for those working abroad.

The official record for Indonesian women working overseas is
700,000, most of whom are employed as domestic helpers and know
little of their legal rights.

Tati said the abuse of women migrant workers would never be
solved if the government's main concern was how to meet the
foreign exchange target and reduce unemployment.

Tati suggested the government establish crisis centers, which
would have greater possibility of reaching migrant workers
compared to centers currently run by non-governmental
organizations or communities of migrant workers.

There are currently three crisis centers in Indonesia,
offering support for women who have been raped. Another is soon
to be established to support victims of domestic violence. (06)