In Dialogue with Indonesia, Experts of the Committee on Migrant Workers Praise Law Promoting Indonesian Migrant Workers’ Right to Vote, Raise Issues Concerning Unethical Recruitment Practices and Online Scam Operations in South-East Asia
The Committee on the Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers today concluded its consideration of the second periodic report of Indonesia on how it implements the provisions of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, with Committee Experts commending the State’s law promoting Indonesian migrant workers’ right to vote overseas, and raising issues concerning unethical recruitment practices and Indonesian migrants being forced to work in online scam operations in South-East Asia.
Prasad Kariyawasam, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, congratulated the State party on establishing a law that allowed migrant workers to vote in the countries where they were staying. How was the State party operationalising this process?
Jasminka Dzumhur, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, said there was still a high level of involvement of private actors in the recruitment of migrants. Would the State party work to reduce their involvement and prevent unethical recruitment by these actors?
Mr. Kariyawasam also addressed issues related to migrants being forced to work on cyber scams in some South Asian countries. What measures had the State party taken to address this issue and support victims?
Rinardi Rusman, Director General for Protection, Ministry of the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers and head of the delegation, in introductory remarks, said that Indonesia had made significant progress in aligning the State’s national framework with the Convention’s principles. Law 18 of 2017 on the protection of Indonesian migrant workers established a comprehensive approach on protection, from pre-departure, during employment abroad, and post-return and reintegration.
To ensure safe, orderly and regular migration, Indonesia had robust, Government-supervised recruitment procedures, Mr. Rusman said. In 2025 alone, the State’s efforts had successfully prevented 5,913 individuals from attempting to migrate through irregular channels.
The delegation added that Indonesia monitored the activities of recruitment agencies for crimes such as illegal placements and falsification of migration documents. Sanctions had been issued to nine placement companies thus far, and two had had their licences revoked. More than two billion Indonesian rupiah had been recovered by the Government through sanctions.
Mr. Rusman said Indonesia was confronting emerging challenges head-on, including the scourge of online scam operations. The State’s Cyber-Trafficking Response Team had identified and repatriated 1,324 victims from Cambodia, Myanmar and Lao People's Democratic Republic since 2024.
The delegation added that thousands of young Indonesian migrants had been deceived and trapped in conditions of forced labour in online scam operations. Indonesia had intensified cross-border law enforcement cooperation and expanded prevention and early detection efforts, including awareness raising campaigns and enhanced cyber patrols.
In concluding remarks, Mr. Kariyawasam said Indonesia was the largest State party to the Convention in terms of population. The Committee sought to help the State party to do better, so that it could serve as a role model to other States parties to the Convention. Mr. Kariyawasam called on the State party to appeal to other States to accede to the Convention.
Ms. Dzumhur, in concluding remarks, said the Committee sought to improve the implementation of the Convention in Indonesia. Its recommendations would guide the State’s future activities. She expressed expectations that the State party would report positive results in its next dialogue with the Committee.
Ms. Harniati, Acting Director General for Human Rights Instruments and Strengthening, Ministry of Human Rights of Indonesia, and Adviser to the Minister for Civil, Political, Economic, Social and Cultural Affairs, said in concluding remarks that the constructive dialogue had allowed the delegation to showcase the State’s comprehensive efforts and had helped in identifying challenges ahead. The State party would leave Geneva with a clearer road map of the work that lay ahead.
Fatimata Diallo, Committee Chair, in concluding remarks, said the dialogue had helped the Committee to understand the situation of migrant workers living in Indonesia and Indonesian nationals who worked abroad. She called on the State party to take all necessary measures to implement the Committee’s recommendations. In closing, Ms. Diallo expressed condolences to the Indonesian population regarding the tragic events connected to climate change that had occurred in the country.
The delegation of Indonesia was made up of representatives of the Ministry of the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers; Ministry of Human Rights; Ministry of Immigration and Correction; Coordinating Ministry for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Correction; Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and the Permanent Mission of Indonesia to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
The Committee on Migrant Worker’s forty-first session is being held from 1 to 11 December. All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage. Meeting summary releases can be found here. Webcasts of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.
The Committee will next meet in public at 10 a.m. on Monday, 8 December, to start its consideration of the second periodic report of Honduras (CMW/C/HND/2).
Report
The Committee has before it the second periodic report of Indonesia (CMW/C/IDN/2).
Presentation of the Report
SIDHARTO REZA SURYODIPURO, Permanent Representative of Indonesia to the United Nations, World Trade Organization and other international organizations in Geneva, said that, for Indonesia, the dialogue was an important part of the State’s commitment to protect migrant workers and a catalyst for tangible progress. The delegation would assess progress and address remaining challenges, while reaffirming the State’s pledge to remain accountable for the protection of migrant workers, wherever they were. Since ratifying the Convention, Indonesia had treated the protection of migrant workers as integral to national development, anchoring related priorities in the Asta Cita and the national medium-term development plan 2025–2029. The State party was committed to ensuring that citizens working abroad were duly protected, while equally upholding the rights of all migrant workers within the State’s territory.
RINARDI RUSMAN, Director General for Protection, Ministry of the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers and head of the delegation, said Indonesia had made significant progress in aligning the State’s national framework with the Convention’s principles. The enactment and implementation of law 18 of 2017 on the protection of Indonesian migrant workers was a transformative milestone, establishing a comprehensive approach on protection, from pre-departure, during employment abroad, and post-return and reintegration. Indonesia had also elevated the former agency on migrant workers into the Ministry of Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers. The Ministry now functioned both as a regulator responsible for policy-setting, standard formulation, and coordination mechanisms, and as an operator providing direct protection services to migrant workers and their families. This institutional strengthening was coupled with a consistent and significant increase in national budget allocation, which had risen from 260 billion Indonesian Rupiah in 2020 to over 687 billion Indonesian Rupiah in 2025, dedicated solely to migrant worker protection and empowerment programmes.
To ensure safe, orderly and regular migration, Indonesia had robust, Government-supervised recruitment procedures through an integrated system. In 2025 alone, the State’s efforts had successfully prevented 5,913 individuals from attempting to migrate through irregular channels. Indonesia prioritised enhancing bilateral cooperation through labour agreements that embedded protection principles, such as the zero-cost placement and one-channel system in the State’s agreement with Malaysia. Indonesia was confronting emerging challenges head-on, including the scourge of online scam operations. The State’s Cyber-Trafficking Response Team had identified and repatriated 1,324 victims from Cambodia, Myanmar and Lao People's Democratic Republic since 2024. The national action plan for combatting trafficking in persons guided the State’s coordinated law enforcement and victim support efforts.
In guaranteeing access to justice and complaint mechanisms, Indonesia had received and resolved 81 per cent of the 20,675 complaints received from 2017 to March 2025 through various accessible channels, including a national call centre and WhatsApp services. Indonesia was expanding its network of regional psychologists across key provinces of origin to ensure accessible, community-based trauma counselling, and psychosocial support. It was also actively expanding the State’s mandatory consular notification agreements, with a target of adding 15 new partner countries by 2027, ensuring timely intervention for citizens in distress. Indonesian citizens received State protection irrespective of their migration status, and foreign migrant workers in Indonesia were protected in accordance with national regulations that upheld their rights.
Some 82 per cent of Indonesian migrant workers seeking assistance were irregular migrants. Indonesia was committed to establishing a centralised, comprehensive database that tracked all aspects of the Convention related to irregular migrants. It was also critically reviewing the State’s approach to irregular migration, including the provisions of law six of 2011 on immigration, in response to the Committee’s previous recommendations.
Indonesia had strengthened its national complaint-handling and assistance system through a 24-hour service platform that included call centres, digital services, regional offices and overseas missions. These channels were also integrated with the immigration database and the national identification database, allowing the Government to receive, verify and address complaints in a more timely and structured manner. The State was also enhancing its efforts to systematically evaluate the outcomes of these complaints.
Indonesia continued its efforts to secure better welfare outcomes for migrant workers abroad. Its most recent achievement was a wage increase for Indonesian domestic migrant workers in “Chinese Taipei”. Indonesia maintained bilateral consular consultation forums with six countries that were destinations for Indonesian migrant workers. The State was also strengthening the role of its overseas missions to further provide rapid-response mechanisms, legal assistance, shelter facilities, monitoring visits, and engagement with local authorities and civil society partners. Currently there were 29 missions that had an integrated protection system. Missions also verified job orders and observed contract implementation.
Indonesia was also placing its special attention to the rights and welfare of children of migrant workers. In Sabah and Sarawak, Indonesia worked with relevant local authorities to ensure access to education. These efforts included support for them in obtaining residence documentation, supporting permits for teachers, providing scholarships, and establishing Indonesian schools and community learning centres in areas with high concentrations of migrant workers’ children. As of 2025, there were 275 learning centres operating in Sabah and Sarawak regions serving 27,197 students.
Indonesia provided identity verification, transportation assistance, psychosocial support, family counselling, and access to economic empowerment programmes for returning migrant workers. The Government subsidised housing assistance, benefitting hundreds of returning migrant workers and their families. The State was now focusing on measuring the long-term success of reintegration through data on sustainable livelihoods and the well-being of returning migrants.
Indonesia called for enhanced international cooperation, for more countries to ratify the Convention, and for a collective effort to address the root causes of migration, such as poverty and inequality. The State acknowledged the challenges that persisted, and remained firmly committed to standing by its citizens overseas, regardless of their migration path, and to fulfilling its obligations under the Convention.
Questions by Committee Experts
JASMINKA DZUMHUR, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, said the authorities of Indonesia had taken measures to improve the implementation of the Convention. Were there any signs that Indonesia was becoming a country of transit or destination for migrant workers? Could the State party provide further information about bilateral agreements with destination countries? Which international standards related to migration had the State party ratified over the reporting period? Could the State party provide information on the results achieved by the national anti-trafficking task force established in 2008? Would the State party adopt measures to align legislation on migration with the Convention?
Why had the State party not yet ratified the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance? What measures were in place to ensure a human rights-based and gender-based approach in State migration policies? There was reportedly a lack of coordination between State institutions working in the field of migration. What steps had been taken to address this? What progress had been made in establishing a data system on migration? Had the representation of women and minorities in the national human rights institution been improved? How effective was the national preventive mechanism against torture and what were the results of its work?
Was systemic training on migrants’ rights provided to police and members of the judiciary who interacted with migrants? Did the State party involve civil society in efforts to protect migrants? What legal assistance was provided to migrants and victims of trafficking and labour exploitation?
PRASAD KARIYAWASAM, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, said Indonesia had come with a very large delegation commensurate with its status within Asia. This was a demonstration of the State party’s commitment to upholding the rights of migrant workers. Indonesia was hamstrung by the fact that many countries of destination for migrant workers were not part of the Convention. However, the State party had a responsibility to implement the Convention to the extent possible. What plans were in place to enhance cooperation with civil society organizations and to provide them with more resources and leverage to protect migrant workers’ rights?
The State party had established many missions overseas that were providing services for migrant workers. Could more information on these services be provided? Did they have a gender-sensitive approach? There were 173 Indonesian women on death row in destination States. How was the State party helping these women to obtain pardons?
Some Indonesian migrant workers had social security in the country where they worked, but this was not portable. Had efforts been taken to make social security for migrant workers portable? There were issues with migrants being forced to work on cyber scams in some South Asian countries. What measures had the State party taken to address this issue and support victims? How was the State party supporting the Rohingya who had fled to Indonesia? How did the State party monitor recruitment agencies and prevent the exploitation of migrant workers? Were there regular inter-agency meetings between Government institutions working on issues related to migrants and civil society organizations?
What measures had the State party taken to ensure the rights of migrant mothers and children in the birth registration process? How was the State party ensuring the implementation of regulations related to birth registration on the ground? What steps were taken when the 60-day time limit for registration was not respected?
Persons working in fishing vessels were often indirect victims of trafficking, as they did not receive working visas and were often left stranded in other countries, where they could not access their rights. What steps had been taken to tackle this phenomenon?
Other Committee Experts asked questions on plans to reform the 2011 law on migration, which imposed detention for up to 10 years for irregular migrants, and prevent the prolonged detention of migrants; the number of irregular migrants sent to detention centres and alternative housing structures; whether migrants could appeal to the justice system after judicial authorities issued deportation orders; whether the State party intended to ratify the Geneva Convention and Protocol; whether Indonesian migrants had access to legal and other types of support when they were detained due to their irregular status; measures to protect Indonesian migrant workers abroad from xenophobia and racism; and steps taken to facilitate reintegration for Indonesian migrant workers who returned to Indonesia with a disability.
Experts also asked about whether Indonesia planned to ratify International Labour Organization Conventions 93, 122, 129, 155, 189 and 190, and related protocols; the number of labour inspectors in Indonesia and the resources they were provided with; whether the State was considering setting up a policy that encouraged self-employment for citizens working abroad; systems for transferring migrant workers’ savings earned abroad when they returned; measures to protect remittances from migrant workers; oversight measures in place for informal recruitment agencies; the frequency of labour inspections carried out in the fishing industry; measures to address the exploitation of Indonesian workers through the kafala system; measures to support returnee migrant workers to access work; how the State party was coordinating the implementation of the Convention and the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration; and legal decisions that had invoked the Convention.
Further, Experts asked about challenges faced by the State party in implementing the Convention and assistance that the Committee could provide to help the State party with implementation; how Indonesia had contributed to increasing Indonesian migrant workers’ salaries in “Chinese Taipei”, and whether the State party could replicate this in other countries; whether planned budget cuts for its education system had been carried out and their impact on migration; whether the State party had investigated the situation of children who remained in the country while their parents were abroad working; the number of people who used support structures for migrant workers in overseas missions and how the State cooperated with host countries to implement support services; measures to involve the diaspora in the development of migration policies; measures to protect women migrant workers from violence, online manipulation and stereotypes; and whether the State party worked to implement the national human rights institution’s recommendations.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said Indonesia was not only a sending country but also a country of transit and destination for migrants. The State party implemented a selective and regulated immigration regime, welcoming migrants with skills that helped fill gaps in the domestic workforce. It guaranteed equal treatment for migrant workers, who needed to be enrolled in the national social security scheme. As of November 2025, there were around 175,000 foreign workers employed legally in Indonesia. The State party promoted the employment of foreign workers in legal entities.
Indonesia implemented humanitarian policies related to refugees and asylum seekers transiting through the country. It respected the principle of non-refoulement and did not criminalise victims of trafficking. With the support of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the State housed around 12,000 refugees and asylum seekers. Indonesia consistently promoted human dignity through its migration policies.
Indonesia was pursuing bilateral agreements on migrant workers’ rights, engaging in various technical working groups with other countries towards this aim. In 2015 and 2022, the State party had negotiated salary increases for Indonesian domestic workers in “Chinese Taipei”, including a 17 per cent increase in 2022. The State party was engaging in discussions with other States to achieve similar increases, but this process took time.
The 2021 to 2025 national action plan on human rights included measures to protect migrant workers’ rights, combat trafficking in persons, and support returning migrant workers and their families. The Government had established a national committee to implement the plan, which included staff of various ministries. The State party had been preparing the next iteration for the plan for 2026 to 2030, which would also include measures to protect migrant workers’ rights, including measures supporting access to decent working and living conditions and access to cheap and safe remittances.
Indonesia had taken concrete steps to advance the draft bill on the protection of domestic workers. The bill had been submitted to the House of Representatives in 2023, where it was awaiting review. It would strengthen the legal framework for protecting domestic workers in line with international labour and human rights standards.
Indonesia had ratified the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime and its two protocols. Legal frameworks had been strengthened to support the implementation of this Convention, and laws had been introduced that established clear sentences for traffickers and measures for supporting victims. A national action plan on combatting trafficking had also been implemented from 2020 to 2024. Activities under this plan had led to the investigation and prosecution of many cases of trafficking in persons, and to the provision of protection services for many victims. The State party was currently finalising the next iteration of the plan for 2025 to 2029 and was also implementing modern technologies to combat trafficking.
In the current fiscal year, the law on immigration would undergo revision to strengthen the function of travel documents for Indonesian citizens abroad whose passports had been revoked.
Provisions on the detention of migrants within law six of 2011 on immigration did not apply to victims of trafficking in persons and smuggling. Persons subject to deportation procedures were detained until their deportation, but when deportations could not be carried out, deportees could be detained for a maximum period of 10 years. There were currently 17 deportees who were being detained for this 10-year period. The State party ensured that these persons had access to adequate food, legal counsel and family visits. Measures had been taken to prevent violence against vulnerable groups such as women and children in detention centres. There was currently no data on deportees’ migration status; the State party would consider this as an action point. Persons could legally challenge deportation orders within 21 days of their issuance.
Indonesia had worked to map common routes used by trafficking networks in the region, which served as the operational basis for joint patrols and multi-agency field interventions. The State party had successfully prevented around 6,000 attempted illegal departures in 2025 and had assisted 239 villages that functioned as hubs for detecting and preventing irregular departures.
Indonesia monitored the activities of recruitment agencies for crimes such as illegal placements and falsification of migration documents, and issued sanctions such as suspension of operations and revocation of permits for agencies found to have violated migrants’ rights. There were more than 500 recruitment agencies operating in Indonesia, which made monitoring difficult. The State party was working with the International Labour Organization to provide technical guidance to these agencies on facilitating fair, legal recruitment. It had also established official recruitment schemes for migrant workers that were implemented in cooperation with destination countries. The State assisted applicants with obtaining necessary legal permits and provided pre-departure orientation sessions through these schemes.
The State party was working to strengthen bilateral agreements, incorporating gender sensitive clauses to improve protections for women migrant workers. It was also working to improve complaint handling systems and expand pathways for migrant workers outside of the domestic work sector, and was working to strengthen data collection on international migration. Indonesia had strengthened the mandatory curriculum for departing migrant workers to include gender-related content and safety measures to help women protect themselves from violence and discrimination. A woman-friendly chatbot had also been developed to provide gender-sensitive advice to Indonesian workers overseas. Migrant resource centres provided legal and psychosocial assistance to victims of gender-based violence.
Free consular services related to civil registry were provided to Indonesian migrant workers and a platform had been established that provided access to birth registration services abroad. Indonesian missions had issued around 12,500 birth registration documents from January to November in 2025. The State party collected data on poor families and remote communities and conducted targeted outreach to ensure that all children enjoyed their right to civil documentation.
Indonesia was committed to guaranteeing access to education for the children of migrant workers abroad. Indonesian schools and community learning centres established abroad were serving several thousands of Indonesian children. The State party was also working to enhance synergies with local education authorities to support education for this group. Children of migrant workers who remained in Indonesia were cared for by extended families or certified foster families supported by social programmes. The well-being of these children was regularly monitored by social workers. A pilot programme had been implemented in one region that empowered village governments, community groups and caregivers to monitor the children of migrant workers who had been left behind; it had had a positive impact thus far.
Online scam operations in South-East Asia were extremely concerning. Thousands of young Indonesian migrants had been deceived and trapped in conditions of forced labour in these operations. Indonesia called for a stronger international response to this issue. It had intensified cross-border law enforcement cooperation and had identified and prosecuted domestic recruiters connected to syndicates in Cambodia and Myanmar. The number of cases related to this issue handled by the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh rose from 15 in 2020 to over 4,000 in 2025. Indonesia had expanded prevention and early detection efforts, including awareness raising campaigns and enhanced cyber patrols, which searched for fake job advertisements on social media. Embassies in 10 countries had handled around 12,500 cases related to online scams from 2021 to 2025. Most of these cases were in South-East Asia; some 7,600 of these were in Cambodia. A total of 422 Indonesian migrant workers in Cambodia had been repatriated at State expense.
Law 18 of 2017 enhanced access to justice for Indonesian migrant workers. It required the Government to provide clear work contracts, accessible complaints channels, and legal and mediation services, and provided for remedies for unpaid wages and the right to consular assistance.
A regulation issued in October 2025 established a data collection system for overseas Indonesian migrant workers. The system included a feature allowing irregular migrants to register their identity documents and undergo verification at Indonesian missions, after which they could access essential services. Irregular migrants who met certain requirements could transition to regular status. The State party was conducting outreach visits to worker communities to inform them about this system. The data collected was used to map high-risk transit corridors that required targeted intervention. The State party was committed to ensuring that all Indonesian migrant workers could access State protection.
In October 2025, the State party launched an employment orientation initiative that had reached around 8,000 villages in the State. Under this initiative, village authorities were facilitating civil documentation and implementing the free pre-employment orientation programme. The Government had also expanded its awareness raising campaign targeting villages on the risks associated with irregular recruitment.
Indonesia’s missions provided immediate consular assistance to ensure protection of the rights of Indonesian nationals. Some 19 missions were equipped with temporary shelter facilities for women and child migrants. Some 385 Indonesian migrant workers were residing in temporary shelters as of November 2025, out of whom 351 were women and children. Technical training on managing cases involving Indonesian nationals in distress was provided to staff in these missions.
Indonesia strongly condemned xenophobia, racism and all forms of discrimination, including against foreign nationals and Indonesians abroad. Law 40 of 2008 on the elimination of racial discrimination included guarantees of equal treatment for all individuals, including migrant workers. There was no broad or systematic pattern of xenophobia or violence directed to foreign nationals in the State. There were systems for reporting complaints of racial discrimination set up both in Indonesia and abroad.
Medical rehabilitation, reintegration training and compensation was provided to returning migrants with disabilities. The State party had recently increased its accessibility budget and was providing protection and support to migrant workers who were injured in workplace accidents abroad.
The Government collaborated with civil society organizations and the national human rights institution, as well as international organizations, to strengthen protection for migrant workers. Civil society organizations assisted migrant workers with filing complaints. The national human rights institution provided a complementary complaints mechanism for human rights violations and was actively monitoring compliance with the Convention. Currently, the National Human Rights Commission had three female commissioners out of eight. The Commission was independent and had “A” status under the Paris Principles.
Indonesia had developed a comprehensive system to prevent torture. The National Human Rights Commission, the Ombudsman and other agencies joined forces to form a national preventive mechanism, which had secured access to prisons and detention facilities. Between 2019 and 2024, it had visited seven facilities.
At the national level, migrant worker protection policies were implemented through close cooperation between the Ministry of Migrant Workers’ Protection, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and immigration and law enforcement authorities. The State party engaged in cooperation activities with States such as the Republic of Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia. Coordination schemes ensured the swift implementation of support programmes for migrant workers. The State party was also working with local governments to conduct migrant registration and manage return and reintegration processes.
The International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance was the last major international human rights instrument that Indonesia had yet to ratify. The State party was committed to ratifying this instrument. It was coordinating with relevant ministries in this regard. Ratification required approval of an implementing bill that had been submitted to the House of Representatives.
Labour inspection was regulated by State labour laws. The State party had ratified International Labour Organization Convention 81 on labour inspection. Inspectors were required to issue corrective measures and enforce compliance when they detected violations. There were currently around 1,400 labour inspectors across the country, including around 1,250 inspectors employed by local governments. The State party was currently conducting an internal assessment regarding the ratification of International Labour Organization Convention 129 on labour inspection in agriculture. Existing laws enabled inspectors to monitor employers in the agriculture sector.
Indonesia was committed to ensuring that domestic workers were entitled to dignity and protection, as well as to effective dispute resolution mechanisms. The Government had incorporated the principles of International Labour Organization Convention 189 into its domestic workers protection bill. Decree 88 of 2023 included guidelines for handling sexual violence at the workplace. It guaranteed victims’ access to medical care and psychological support. Many of the requirements of International Labour Organization Conventions 189 and 190 were already included in Indonesian laws.
The State party had implemented a law on occupational health and safety. Existing regulations ensured that workplaces adhered to strict standards. The State party was conducting a comprehensive assessment of International Labour Organization Convention 155 on occupational health and safety. It remained open to the possibility of ratifying it in the future.
Questions by Committee Experts
PRASAD KARIYAWASAM, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, expressed solidarity with the people of Indonesia who had suffered from flooding this year. Law 18 of 2017 was commendable for adopting a whole-of-government approach to migration. How was the State party implementing this law and ensuring that it was in line with the Convention? Were the one-stop services established by this law effective? How were Government regulations on migrant seafarers and fishers being implemented? There was confusion regarding where these workers could obtain Government services. How did the support system for these workers operate?
Mr. Kariyawasam welcomed the measures adopted to address the issue of cyber scam operations. Were there plans to use digital services and artificial intelligence to serve migrant workers and prevent abuse of the migration system? He also congratulated the State party on establishing a law that allowed migrant workers to vote in the countries where they were staying. How was the State party operationalising this process? Were there plans to support migrant workers to stand for election in host countries?
There was a significant number of domestic workers who faced abuse. What legal and other mechanisms were being established with host countries to protect this vulnerable, mostly female group? The State party had good initiatives promoting pathways for regular migration. Were there pathways for the Rohingya to find legal work in Indonesia?
JASMINKA DZUMHUR, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, said there was still a high level of involvement of private actors in the recruitment of migrants. How was the State party ensuring the protection of migrant workers in this context? Would it work to reduce the involvement of private actors in recruitment processes and prevent unethical recruitment by these actors?
Ms. Dzumhur congratulated the State party on increasing the involvement of national minorities and women in the national human rights institution. How could migrant workers living abroad communicate with the institution? The Committee welcomed that the State party had established temporary shelters for migrants abroad. How often were these shelters used by migrants?
To what extent were civil society organizations consulted in the creation of policies on migration? There was no binding trafficking referral mechanism in Indonesia that was in line with the Palermo Protocol. Had the national taskforce on trafficking been established? Over 22 trafficking cases involving 108 victims had been reported between 2014 and 2025, but some of these cases were still open. Why was this?
It was very positive that there had been an increase in the registration of children born abroad. However, there were still administrative barriers to registration. What plans were in place to improve this process? Efforts needed to be made to revise law 18 of 2018 in line with international standards.
One Committee Expert called on the State party to ratify International Labour Organization Conventions 189 and 190, which would enhance protections for vulnerable migrants. Committee Experts asked questions on how migrants’ rights could be transferred between countries; plans to establish a framework for promoting health at work for migrants; plans to develop a comprehensive law on discrimination; how the State collected data on discrimination and responded to discrimination cases, including cases involving the Rohingya; plans to establish a uniform procedure for recruiting members of the national human rights institution; what the Government was doing to protect migrants from the effects of climate change; and whether the State party would consider ratifying the Optional Protocol to the Convention.
Experts also asked questions on the implementation of the Presidential regulation of 2016 on the transfer of asylum seekers to detention centres and shelters; plans to decriminalise entry and irregular stay of migrants; the implications of the cooperation agreement on combatting trafficking and smuggling signed with Australia in November; the management of irregular migration in maritime areas; the effectiveness of measures implemented to promote the regularisation of Indonesian migrant workers, including in Malaysia; how the State party was promoting access to dignified work domestically; efforts being made to recognise the victims of climate change and those forced to migrate due to climate change; and the effectiveness of measures to protect domestic workers abroad.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation thanked the Committee for its condolences regarding the natural disasters that had struck Indonesia. The Government attached great importance to addressing the negative consequences of climate change, including migration-related consequences.
Migrant workers abroad could access connected digital portals for protecting Indonesian citizens to report issues and access consular services. These digital services were integrated with national databases, including the passport registration database. The State party was also working on an initiative to connect fragmented migration data from different ministries. It would leverage the data it collected on migration to monitor the implementation of the Convention.
Sanctions issued to recruitment agencies that violated migrant workers’ rights included written warnings, temporary suspensions, administrative fines, and full revocation of permits. Sanctions had been issued to nine placement companies thus far, and two had had their licences revoked. More than two billion Indonesian rupiah had been recovered by the Government through sanctions.
Currently, there were around 2,700 Rohingya in Indonesia. The State party cooperated with the International Organization for Migration and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to assist this group to access temporary accommodation, food aid, health and education. A Government taskforce was working on bridging issues between these refugees and local communities.
Seafarers faced distinct vulnerabilities due to the nature of their work. Indonesia was working to ensure that they received full protection. The Constitutional Court had ruled that Indonesian seafarers working abroad fell within the scope of Indonesian migrant workers abroad. This decision provided a legal basis for applying legal protections for seafarers. The State party had established labour inspection teams working in the seafaring industry. Some 119 cases of potential violations involving seafarers were reported to authorities in 2025. The State party was also conducting awareness raising campaigns and cooperating with stakeholders to improve the ethical recruitment of seafarers.
The Government did not approach domestic workers’ cases with stigma. It provided comprehensive assistance to domestic workers when they lodged complaints, including mediation and reconciliation services.
Closing Remarks
PRASAD KARIYAWASAM, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, thanked the delegation for its participation in the constructive dialogue. Indonesia was the largest State party to the Convention in terms of population. The Committee sought to help the State party to do better, so that it could serve as a role model to other States parties to the Convention. Mr. Kariyawasam called on the State party to appeal to other States to accede to the Convention.
JASMINKA DZUMHUR, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, thanked the delegation for its efforts to provide the Committee with information. The Committee sought to improve the implementation of the Convention in Indonesia. Its recommendations would guide the State’s future activities. She expressed expectations that the State party would report positive results in its next dialogue with the Committee.
SIDHARTO REZA SURYODIPURO, Permanent Representative of Indonesia to the United Nations, the World Trade Organization and other international organizations in Geneva, sincerely thanked the Committee for its consistently constructive engagement throughout the dialogue, which was a means for enhancing the implementation of the Convention. Migrant workers represented an essential pillar of Indonesia. The State was committed to their empowerment, protection and well-being, wherever they were.
HARNIATI, Acting Director General for Human Rights Instruments and Strengthening, Ministry of Human Rights of Indonesia, and Adviser to the Minister for Civil, Political, Economic, Social and Cultural Affairs, said the constructive dialogue had allowed the delegation to showcase the State’s comprehensive efforts and had helped in identifying challenges ahead. The State party would leave Geneva with a clearer road map of the work that lay ahead. Indonesia was committed to strengthening pre-departure training programmes for migrants, improving data collection, and ensuring stricter regulation of private recruitment.
The State’s commitment to the protection of all migrant workers was unwavering. However, it could not walk this path alone. The protection of migrant workers was a shared responsibility between countries. Indonesia would continue to call on other States to ratify the Convention.
Indonesia faced challenges related to data centralisation and integration, institutional coordination, and capacity building. It was committed to addressing these issues, following the Committee’s feedback, and working with all stakeholders, including the national human rights institution and civil society.
FATIMATA DIALLO, Committee Chair, congratulated the members of the delegation on their high-quality responses. The dialogue had helped the Committee to understand the situation of migrant workers living in Indonesia and Indonesian nationals who worked abroad. She called on the State party to take all necessary measures to implement the Committee’s recommendations. In closing, Ms. Diallo expressed condolences to the Indonesian population regarding the tragic events connected to climate change that had occurred in the country.
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CMW25.009E