Complex Issues of Indonesian International Labour Migration

Dr. Sukamdi, MSc

Universitas Gadjah Mada

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Sukamdi@ugm.ac.id

The structure of Presentation

• Issues of vulnerability

• Migration and social transformation

• Policy Issues

Issues of vulnerability

• Feminization of migrant workers

• Low educated

• Most of them working in “informal sector” (domestic worker/unskilled) with the gradual change to more skilled type of job

• Issues on irregular migration (issues of protection)

Feminization of labour migration

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

350000

400000

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Male Female

58 % of ILM is

female

ILM education

76.86

69.19 68.66

70.15

72.21

68.34

64

66

68

70

72

74

76

78

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Migrants with low education

About 70 % of

ILM is low

educated

• The feminization of migration as the part of a global process of internationalizing the gender division of reproductive labour

• Informal sector is the easiest opportunity for low educated women

• Working abroad at any risk !! Including to involve in undocumented migration

Migrants Vulnerabilities

education

Type of job

Legal status

gender

female, irregular, low

educated, and working in

informal sector

Migrants and social transformation

• Culture of migration : migration has become way of life

• Migration as vehicle of social transformation both in origin and destination area

• Social exclusion : problem of social integration

Pre departure • Lack of information • Lack of preparation • Manipulation

Host Community • Social exclusion • Lack of information

Travel • Travel condition and

mode • Duration of journey

Return • Social integration • Dependent on

migration

Issues o

n rep

rod

uctive h

ealth

Eon

om

ic mo

tives

Policy Issues (governance ?)

State

(political interest)

Private

(economic interest)

Civil Society

(Social interest)

Foreign

exchange

hero/labour

export

empowerment

Profit

oriented

• Problems of reproductive health have (always) been neglected in migration policies both in origin and destination countries

• Economy dominates both migrant and government motives

• As culture of migration emerged, integrated policy on migration is become very urgent

thank you