Jakarta – The Confederation of All Indonesian Trade Unions (KSBSI) and ACVi Asia attended and participated in the National Conference to Promote Ratification of ILO Convention No. 190. The event was held in Jakarta on Wednesday, August 12, 2026.
International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 190 of 2019 is the first international standard establishing the right of everyone to a world of work free from violence and harassment, including gender-based violence and harassment.
On this occasion, KSBSI President Elly Rosita Silaban emphasized her commitment to continuing to fight for the ratification of ILO Convention No. 190. She promised to continue lobbying and advocating with all stakeholders for the immediate ratification of ILO Convention No. 190.
Maria Emeninta, Regional Coordinator of ACV I Asia, also emphasized her support for the urgency of ratifying ILO Convention No. 190. 190, She was the Moderator in a panel discussion entitled “The Urgency of Ratification of ILO Convention No. 190 with academics, government and ILO Jakarta as speakers.
Labor Movement and Civil Society Urge Indonesia to Ratify ILO Convention No. 190
Seven out of ten workers have experienced violence or harassment, but Indonesia still lacks comprehensive legal protection. President Prabowo is urged to immediately ratify ILO Convention No. 190 by May Day 2027.
Labor movements and civil society are urging the Indonesian government to immediately ratify ILO Convention No. 190 to ensure stronger protection for all workers from violence and harassment in the workplace.
Seven years after ILO Convention No. 190 entered into force internationally, Indonesia has still not ratified it. Yet, violence and harassment in the workplace continue to be experienced by many workers, especially women, while national regulations remain fragmented and do not provide comprehensive protection.
The workplace should be safe for everyone. However, a 2022 ILO Survey in collaboration with the Never Okay Project of 1,173 Indonesian workers showed that 70.93 percent of respondents had experienced at least one form of violence or harassment in the workplace, including in the digital space.
This data serves as a serious warning. The Sexual Violence Crime Law (Law 12/2022) and Minister of Manpower Decree No. 88 of 2023 concerning Guidelines for the Prevention and Handling of Sexual Violence in the Workplace are indeed steps forward, but neither is sufficient. The TPKS Law comprehensively regulates protection for victims of sexual violence and harassment, but does not specifically address protection against other forms of non-sexual violence. Meanwhile, Minister of Manpower Decree 88/2023 lacks the same legal force as a statute and is limited to sexual harassment and violence.
ILO Convention No. 190 provides more comprehensive standards, covering physical, psychological, sexual, and economic violence and harassment in the workplace. The Philippines is the only one of 11 ASEAN member states to ratify it as of 2024. As ASEAN’s largest economy, Indonesia should not be left behind in protecting its workers.
“The TPKS Law is a step forward, but it’s not enough. Workplace violence isn’t just sexual. Indonesia needs to immediately ratify C190 to bring worker protections up to world standards. I hope that on May Day 2027, President Prabowo will announce the ratification of ILO Convention 190,” said Iwan Kusmawan, Chair of the IndustriALL Indonesia Council.
At the conference, attended by approximately 200 representatives of labor organizations, community organization activists, religious leaders, academics, politicians, and civil society from across Indonesia, they urged the President of the Republic of Indonesia to immediately make the ratification of ILO C190 a national priority. They also asked the government to initiate a revision of the Manpower Law to expand the definition of violence and harassment, mandate workplace prevention mechanisms, protect informal workers, and involve unions in policy development and oversight.
About the Coalition — The Indonesian Labor Movement and Civil Society is a coalition of confederations, federations, community organization activists, religious leaders, academics, politicians, and civil society from across Indonesia.
