ACV-CSCIASIA.ORG, JAKARTA – The All Indonesian Trade Union Confederation (KSBSI) recently met with United Nations (UN) officials in this case the Unites Nations Resident Coordinator (UNRC), Valerie Julliand accompanied by the Director of the International Labor Organization (ILO) Jakarta, Michiko Miyamoto to discuss the implementation Sustainable Development Goal’s (SDG’s) in Indonesia.
KSBSI President, Elly Rosita Silaban said that no one was left behind on this issue, and all had the same responsibility for SDG’s Goal’s.
“The KSBSI initiative held discussions with UNRC along with 3 expert teams assisted by the ILO and 3 expert teams. We discussed Decent Work (SDG8), Climate Change (SDG’s 13), Gender Equality (SDG’s 5) and ensured input and suggestions and union involvement workers in designing and included in the report.” said Elly Rosita Silaban, President of KSBSI after attending a meeting at the Jakarta UN Office on Wednesday (05/04/2023).
The KSBSI meeting with the UN was based on two issues. First, regarding the UN framework which involves social aspects in this case involving trade unions and a follow-up to the previous meeting, because it is the UN’s obligation to involve social aspects in this case trade unions. Second, regarding the issue that will be brought to the high-level forum on UN SDG’s which will take place in New York next July, where it will set 5 SDG’s goals which will be highlighted especially by ITUC.
Maria Emeninta, ACV-CSC-KSBSI Regional Coordinator added that, at the meeting KSBSI conveyed several aspirations related to SDG’s issues. There were also at least 3 things that highlighted them, goal 8 regarding Decent Work which tends to get stuck.
“KSBSI has submitted several suggestions to the government, but it is not clear if the government can accommodate this issue, there is no information until now. Not to mention K3 and how to create decent work in Indonesia.” Maria explained.
The meeting also touched on SDG’s goal 7 regarding energy which is the main focus at the upcoming Highlevel forum. This is closely related to goal 13 on Climate Change, and is also related to goal 8 of decent work.
“KSBSI expressed the need for UN and ILO support to realize the Just Transition policy in Indonesia. Where, KSBSI has voiced this since 2018, how important it is to implement Just Transition in Indonesia, especially now in the era of decarbonization and energy.” said Maria.
Maria highlighted the absence of a roopmap on employment, especially regarding issues related to coal or early retirement at PLTU, this is a particular concern for workers who will be affected.
Meanwhile, Sulistri, the KBSSI team focused more on gender. He said that the gender aspect was also in the spotlight in this discussion, because of its connection with the UN’s focus on preparing a report on the framework for sustainable development, namely gender vulnerability.
“Related to the importance of ratifying ILO Convention 190 and this is related to the MCH Bill which is currently in progress and also regarding the Law on the Crime of Sexual Violence.” Sulistri said.
KSBSI also asked how the UN’s efforts in pushing through the ILO or other work, so that this could be realized in Indonesia.
Responding to input from KSBSI, Valerie Julliand, UNRC official said that she fully supports and sympathizes with the global issues that KSBSI brings. She also promised to support at least in a number of ways.
He quoted from the statement of the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, that he had said that all have the same goals, the same solidarity, not each one, goals that are centered on people by putting humans as the center through comprehensive actions that are centered on people, not on business or something.
UNRC also highlighted Climate Change, what are the problems for workers with the issues of Climate Change and Just Transition. Seeing that there is no concept of what the government is doing for the transition, to make the transition 165 thousand workers who will be affected, even though there is an lure with 50 thousand new jobs, but that is something that is not balanced.
Maria Emeninta also added about how best the transition scheme should be. For this reason, the awareness of workers and society is very necessary. He said the UN would support in some form of outreach to KSBSI members and other workers, a kind of joint campaign to inform what had happened and what had to be done.
“They also agreed to establish a consultation framework, a coordination framework, at least twice a year, Valerie Julliand is also ready to speak as a resource person or will be facilitated by the ILO to hold activities aimed in that direction.” added Maria.
In the discussion, ILO Jakarta stressed that it would soon hold a Just Transition program, the ILO said that there would be a project soon, which had been approved by the Director General of PHI and Jamsos Kemnaker.
(source; ksbsi.org)
