'We have to treat them as equals'

'We have to treat them as equals'

Housemaids have learned to live with low salaries and indefinite working hours, as there is no regulation to protect their basic rights. Reports of maids being physically or verbally abused by their employers or their children are also common. In commemorating Human Rights Day on Dec. 10, The Jakarta Post talked to some residents about the issue.

Widyawati, 40, is a housewife. She lives with her husband and three children in Cempaka Putih, East Jakarta:

When I was a child, still living at home, I felt that our housemaid worked too hard. It seemed she never got to rest. I never saw her stop working until I went to bed. And, when I woke up in the morning, she had already prepared our breakfast.

She was a hero to me, because she handled anything that we couldn't do. I promised myself that, if I had a maid, I would treat her better.

Now that I have my own family, I have kept my promise. We hire two maids, and we give them a day off every week so that they can go on outings or socialize with other maids or their family members. Moreover, unless something extraordinary happens, they work only until 8 p.m.

Rinta, 23, is a student at the University of Indonesia in Depok, West Java. She lives with her parents in Cinere, South Jakarta:

Compared to other families, I think we treat our maid well as we eat the same food as her every day. If we buy something we will buy it for her also.

However, a friend from Switzerland, who once spent several nights with us, was amazed that we didn't talk to our maid other than to give her an order.

What she said made me realize that we don't actually treat her as an equal. We have never treated her as part of the family. Now, we are trying to involve her in our daily conversation whenever we can.

One thing I think I should do -- but can't see how to make it possible -- is to give her a day off every now and again. We're all busy and we only have her to do the chores.

--The Jakarta Post