Workers’ and employers’ organizations joint the fight against gender harassment, violence and discrimination in palm oil and fisheries sectors

The ILO joins forces with workers’ and employers’ organizations to free Indonesian palm oil and fisheries sectors from gender harassment, violence and discrimination.

News | Jakarta, Indonesia | 05 December 2022
The agriculture and fishing sectors in Indonesia have provided sources of livelihoods for more than 38 million workers or equal with 30 percent of the total working population. The 2010 data from Statistics Indonesia revealed that 13.79 million women working in these sectors, representing 36 percent of the total number of workers working in these sectors.

An Indonesian women worker at the palm oil sector.
Highlighting the vital role of women in fisheries and palm oil sectors, the ILO conducted a two-day training workshop for representatives of employers’ and workers’ organizations in end of November. The workshop aimed to increase their awareness on gender equality at work, prevention of gender violence and harassment as well as promotion of labour law compliance and occupational safety and health (OSH).

Women play many important roles in these sectors. However, they are often only considered as complimentary and, as a result, denied from their labour rights. Thus, integrating inclusivity will help organizations to build positive corporate culture and create a safe and healthy work environment."

Januar Rustandie, ILO’s Project Coordinator on Improving Workers’ Rights in Rural Sectors of the Indo-Pacific with a focus on Women
The workshop brought together representatives from the Indonesian Employers’ Association (Apindo), the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI), the Indonesian Pole & Line and Handline Fisheries Association (AP2HI), the Indonesian Fisheries Society Association (MDPI), the Indonesian Fisheries Workers Union (SPPI), the Confederation of All Indonesian Labour Union (KSBSI), the Confederation of All Indonesian Trade Union (KSPI) and the Confederation of Indonesian Moslem Labour Union (K-Saburmusi).

Applying active and participatory methods, such as dialogue circles and group dynamics, the workshop provided a venue for the participating employers and workers to share their experiences, knowledge as well as key recommendations and joint actions for improving the compliance of labour standards, OSH and gender equality at work within their organizations and members.

Facilitated by the ILO, during the workshop, Januar Rustandie, ILO’s Project Coordinator on Improving Workers’ Rights in Rural Sectors of the Indo-Pacific with a focus on Women, emphasized the vital role of women workers in these sectors and highlighted gender inequality and discrimination as one of the root causes of gender-based violence (GBV).

Januar Rustandie, ILO’s Project Coordinator on Improving Workers’ Rights in Rural Sectors of the Indo-Pacific with a focus on Women
“Women play many important roles in these sectors. However, they are often only considered as complimentary and, as a result, denied from their labour rights. Thus, integrating inclusivity will help organizations to build positive corporate culture and create a safe and healthy work environment,” stated Januar.

Meanwhile, Dyah Retno Sudarto, ILO’s Programme Coordinator for Elimination of Violence and Harassment at Work, underlined the commitment of the ILO to end violence and harassment at work and and help strengthen safe and healthy workplaces through its latest Convention No. 190 as the first international treaty to recognize the right of everyone to a world of work free from violence and harassment, including GBV.

The workshop helps us to plan a real action at workplace to urge the government and policy makers to guarantee a world of work free from violence, harassment and discrimination as well as to promote the ratification of the ILO conventions, particularly the Convention No. 190."

Bagus Prakoso, representative from AP2HI
The workshop concluded with the promotion of joint actions to prevent violence against women and improve compliance on labour standards and OSH. Huiniati, committee of GAPKI Riau branch, committed to pass her knowledge to raise the awareness of her members working in palm oil sector in Riau. “Casual employment, exposure to hazardous pesticides and lack of social protection are still the main problems faced by women workers in palm oil sector. Thus, gender equality and gender related issues, particularly the labour rights of women workers, need a greater attention and action,” she said.

Bagus Prakoso, representative from AP2HI, appreciated the steps given to plan and develop the action plans. “The workshop helps us to plan a real action at workplace to urge the government and policy makers to guarantee a world of work free from violence, harassment and discrimination as well as to promote the ratification of the ILO conventions, particularly the Convention No. 190,” he shared.

Similar workshops will be conducted in several provinces in 2023: Riau, East Kalimantan and Maluku. These workshops will be organized together with local governments and other strategic partners to ensure local ownership and full customization to the national and provincial needs.

The support of the ILO is given through its Improving Workers’ Rights in Rural Sectors of the Indo-Pacific with a focus on Women Project. Funded by the US Department of Labour (USDOL), the project works closely with regional and country level partners to achieve improved working condition, especially for women workers in the fishing and palm oil sector through labour laws compliance particularly on the occupational safety and health (OSH) and gender equality.