"Indonesia encourages countries to adopt a system to protect migrant workers and improve their skills," he stated here on Wednesday shortly before departing for Sri Lanka to attend the 5th meeting of manpower ministers grouped in the Colombo Process (CP).
CP is a non-binding regional consultation forum of ministers of manpower-exporting Asian countries. Established in Colombo, Sri Lanka in 2003, the forum comprises Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, India, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.
Hanif underlined that Indonesia is deeply invested in the effort to improve the system for protecting migrant workers and improving their skills now that it is one of the countries with the largest number of migrant workers.
Data with the Manpower Ministry showed that more than six million Indonesians are currently employed abroad.
Indonesia has also set a good example for other countries when it comes to protecting their migrant workers by improving selection, placement and protection systems, he explained.
In addition, it has also imposed a moratorium on sending domestic helpers to Middle Eastern countries, he noted.
To improve migrant workers skills, the Manpower Ministry will encourage them not to seek employment in the informal sector abroad and instead become professional workers.
The minister further invited countries employing Indonesian migrant workers to cooperate in providing training courses for would-be migrant workers.(WDY)
