A new international initiative in Indonesia is strengthening protections for women migrant workers by improving coordination among government agencies, law enforcement bodies and community organizations to prevent trafficking and forced labour.
The PROTECT Project, supported by the European Union and implemented through collaboration between the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), is helping frontline institutions identify risks earlier and provide more effective support to migrant workers across five high-migration districts.
From March to May 2026, joint training workshops were conducted in Cirebon, Deli Serdang, Kupang, Tulungagung and Lampung Timur, bringing together more than 200 participants from local governments, police, prosecutors, labour institutions, trade unions, migrant worker support centres and civil society organizations.
The programme focuses on improving gender-responsive case management and strengthening cooperation between labour protection systems and criminal justice institutions. The initiative recognizes that trafficking and exploitation require coordinated responses that address both workers’ rights and legal enforcement.
Through the One Stop Centre with Migrant Worker Resource Centre model, supported under the initiative, migrant workers receive access to pre-employment information, psychosocial assistance, healthcare support, legal services and case management. These centres have already reached thousands of migrant workers, most of them women, while community outreach campaigns have expanded awareness among vulnerable groups.
Women migrant workers in Indonesia face different forms of exploitation depending on their location. Some districts report cases involving unsafe recruitment practices, fraudulent marriage arrangements, illegal migration brokers and online recruitment scams. Increasing digital recruitment has created new challenges, making early identification of trafficking risks more important than ever.
Authorities have highlighted that many trafficking cases are still incorrectly treated as administrative labour or immigration issues, delaying access to protection and justice. Strengthening the ability of frontline officials to recognize warning signs and coordinate responses is therefore a key part of the programme.
The training sessions provided practical guidance on labour migration governance, victim identification, investigation procedures and the distinction between human trafficking and migrant smuggling. Participants also worked on developing joint procedures and district-level action plans to improve long-term cooperation.
The initiative reflects a broader effort to create safer migration pathways and protect workers from exploitation. By connecting labour institutions, law enforcement agencies and community organizations, Indonesia is building stronger systems to support women migrant workers and ensure their rights are protected throughout the migration process.
