The Changing Roles of NGOs in Relation to Female Indonesian Labor Migration

Abstract

The patterns and processes of female labor migration from Indonesia to major destination countries are extremely complex, as are the related gender issues. The high demand for female labor migrants, rapid economic growth in destination countries and the current socio-economic situation in Indonesia have resulted in greater priority being given to meeting government targets for female labor export than to protecting the female labor migrants themselves. The very nature of domestic work puts unskilled females in a highly unequal power relationship with recruiters, agencies and employers in the destination countries. Each change in the Indonesian government and its policies toward migrants gives new opportunities for NGOs to carve out roles for themselves in community development. Even though female labor migration only concerns a few NGOs in Indonesia, their role — in defining the issues, approaches, strategies and ideologies surrounding Indonesian female migration — is widening and evolving, leading them to develop new modes of collaboration between government and non-governmental institutions.

Organizing the Unorganizable: Unions, NGOs, and Indonesian Migrant Labour

“…On the basis of interviews with staff from two NGOs involved with migrant labour, Pudjiastuti (2003) identifies five major functions of Indonesian migrant labour NGOs: data collection, provision of assistance, provision of information and training to migrants, policy advocacy, and raising public awareness. One important function that she omits from her list is organizing.…”