Protecting Indonesia’s women migrant workers from the grassroots: a story of Paguyuban Seruni

Abstract

This paper was written based on a research at the grassroots level which was aimed to look into: (1) the relative position of women vis-a-vis the process of making policies on the protection of women migrant workers; (2) what efforts women have made; (3) what efforts women can potentially make, based on their current positions; and (4) opportunities and challenges that may arise. In arguing for the importance of women’s empowerment in conducting protection efforts for Indonesian women migrant workers, the research made the activities of three women activists from Paguyuban Seruni in Banyumas, Indonesia the object of analysis. The efforts and roles were identified through in-depth interviews and observations. Through self-development, enriching process and optimal achievement, along with access to education and involvement in the democratization process at the grassroots level, the women activists have made a valuable contribution to the efforts of protecting women migrant workers at the grassroots level. There are limitations and problems that these women have to face, but they all become motivations for them to move forward and actually do something through a process where self and community achievement are interrelated. At this stage of the research, this paper is aimed to showcase the lessons learned and best practices identified from the grassroots level, in the search for efforts worth making, developing and duplicating, with the aim of protecting women migrant workers working in the informal sector.