The Domestic Helper Protection Law aims to provide legal certainty for domestic helpers and employers, prevent all forms of discrimination, exploitation, and harassment of domestic helpers, and regulate harmonious working relationships by upholding the values ​​of humanity and justice.

Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – Exploitation, discrimination, and harassment frequently affect domestic helpers.

Until now, these cases have rarely been prosecuted because there were no clear regulations protecting the rights of domestic helpers and ensuring that employers fulfill their obligations.

Now, domestic helpers can breathe a sigh of relief as the government and the Indonesian House of Representatives have agreed to pass the Domestic Helper Protection Bill into law.

This ratification ends a 22-year wait to provide legal certainty for the protection and social security of domestic workers.

The decision to ratify the bill was made during the 17th Plenary Session of the House of Representatives for the 4th Session Period of the 2025–2026 Session Year, chaired by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, at the Senayan Parliament Complex, Jakarta, on Tuesday.

The plenary session was attended by government representatives, including Minister of Law Supratman Andi Agtas; Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Bima Arya; Deputy Minister of State Secretary Bambang Eko Suhariyanto; Deputy Minister of Manpower Afriansyah Noor; and Deputy Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Veronica Tan.

During the session, Puan expressed her gratitude and appreciation to the Minister of Manpower, the Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection, the Minister of Home Affairs, and the Minister of State Secretary for their roles and cooperation during the deliberations on the Domestic Helpers Bill.

Representing the government, Minister of Law Supratman Andi Agtas emphasized that the establishment of the Domestic Helper Protection Law aims to provide legal certainty to domestic helpers and their employers, prevent all forms of discrimination, exploitation, and harassment of domestic helpers, and regulate harmonious employment relationships by upholding the values ​​of humanity and justice.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Manpower Afriansyah Noor welcomed and expressed his appreciation for the completion of the the bill which was proposed in 2004 and finally passed into law on April 21, 2026.

Afriansyah added that the ratification of the bill is expected to provide a legal basis for protecting domestic helpers in Indonesia.

"On behalf of the President of the Republic of Indonesia, we express our gratitude to the leadership and members of the Legislative Body of the House of Representatives, who, with their dedication and hard work, have completed the deliberations on the bill,” he said.

Some of the matters regulated in the law include recruitment and the scope of domestic work; employment relationships between domestic helpers and employers based on an agreement or work contract;

the rights and obligations of domestic helpers, employers, and Domestic Worker Placement Companies (P3RT); vocational training for prospective domestic helpers and domestic helpers; business licensing for P3RT; guidance and supervision of the implementation of domestic helper protection; dispute resolution between employers, domestic helpers, and/or P3RT; and people’s participation in protecting domestic helpers.

Reporting by Indonesia Window