The United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has welcomed a landmark step by Indonesia to strengthen protections for millions of domestic workers, describing it as a long-overdue shift toward fairness and dignity in one of the country’s most vulnerable sectors.

Türk praised Indonesia’s Parliament for passing the Domestic Workers Protection Law, calling it a “historic breakthrough” for the nation’s estimated 4.2 million domestic workers, most of them being women.

His remarks made on April 22nd, 2026, come after more than two decades of sustained advocacy by labor groups and human rights defenders pushing for stronger legal safeguards.

“After more than two decades of advocacy for stronger legal safeguards, this is a momentous development for domestic workers in Indonesia whose human rights, which most other workers take for granted, will now be enshrined into law,” Türk said.

The new legislation formally recognizes domestic workers as part of the country’s official workforce, moving them out of the largely unregulated informal sector. It sets standards for recruitment and working conditions, guarantees access to vocational training, and provides health and unemployment benefits. It also bans wage deductions by placement agencies, a practice widely criticized as exploitative.

In a further effort to improve protections, the law prohibits the employment of anyone under 18 as a domestic worker. It also introduces oversight mechanisms involving both national and local authorities, while encouraging community groups to help prevent abuse and violence.

Türk emphasized that the real test will be in how quickly and effectively the law is put into practice, stressing the need for tangible improvements in workers’ daily lives.

He also called on other countries to follow Indonesia’s example by formally recognizing and protecting domestic workers, who often remain invisible in labor systems worldwide.

“Around the world, domestic workers are undervalued, under-protected, and under-represented. This is an historic opportunity to turn the tables on this neglect and to protect, respect, and honor their invaluable contribution to the welfare of so many people,” Türk added

The government now has up to 12 months to develop detailed regulations to enforce the law, including penalties for employers who fail to comply.