Jakarta – International Women's Day (IWD) 2026 was marked by a protest in front of the House of Representatives (DPR) building in Jakarta on Saturday March 7.
During the demonstration, which was organised by the Labour Party through its women's wing, Marsinah, the voices of domestic workers (PRT) once again reverberated demanding the ratification of the Draft Law on the Protection of Domestic Workers (RUU PPRT).
One of the speakers conveyed their concerns from the command vehicle (Mokom). They highlighted the plight of millions of domestic workers who have seemingly been left hanging without legal certainty for more than two decades.
They expressed disappointment with the people's representatives. Even though a coalition of civil society activists has met repeatedly with the DPR's Legislative Body (Baleg), the pledge to enact the RUU PPRT is still seen as just lip service.
"Our representatives are still flaunting promises. Yet we know that violence against domestic workers continues to occur. We can see on social media that the perpetrators are not only employers, but sometimes even the employers' children engage in violence", they said.
They also reminded people of the important role domestic workers play in the lives of their employers, including officials and professionals.
1. Home security: Domestic workers look after children and the elderly while their employers are at work.
2. Neatness: The clean and dignified appearance of employers is the result of domestic workers' hard work.
3. Comfort: A clean and orderly home is inseparable from their gentle hands.
"How can employers go about their activities in peace, while we, the ones who look after their homes, are still crying? Gaining protection [under the law] just continues to be postponed", they added.
One of the most touching points in the speech was comparing the struggle for the RUU PPRT to the lifespan of a human being.
"Imagine, this struggle has been going on for 22 years. If someone gets pregnant and gives birth, their child is now grown and adult. But our legal protection is still stagnant", she said.
They hope that the voices of these women workers will not just be passed by, but will be truly heard by policymakers so that the RUU PPRT can be enacted into law this year.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "22 Tahun Menanti, Pekerja Rumah Tangga Sambangi DPR RI di Hari Perempuan Internasional".]
