THE ADVOCACY OF INDONESIAN DOMESTIC WORKERS IN SINGAPORE BY HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION ECONOMICS

UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

THE ADVOCACY OF INDONESIAN DOMESTIC WORKERS IN SINGAPORE

BY HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION ECONOMICS

Written by:

Dinda Hanifah

20130510333

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM FOR INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

FACULTY OF SOCIAL AND POLITICAL SCIENCES UNIVERSITAS MUHAMMADIYAH YOGYAKARTA

UNDERGRADUATE THESIS Entitled:

THE ADVOCACY OF INDONESIAN DOMESTIC WORKERS IN SINGAPORE

BY HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION ECONOMICS

Presented and written as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Bachelor Degree of Sarjana Ilmu Politik (S. IP) in the Department of International Program

for International Relations (IPIREL), Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta.

Compiled and Written by:

Dinda Hanifah

20130510333

Advisor:

Dr. Nur Azizah, M.Si

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM FOR INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF SOCIAL AND POLITICAL SCIENCES UNIVERSITAS MUHAMMADIYAH YOGYAKARTA

STATEMENT OF AUTHENTICITY PAGE

I hereby certify that my undergraduate thesis is original and has not been asked to get a bachelor degree at Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta or in other university.

In this undergraduate thesis, there is no work or opinions that have been written or published by others except in writing clearly listed as a reference in the script with the name mentioned and listed in the references.

I made this statement in real and if in future there is a mistake in this statement, then I am willing to accept academic sanction in accordance with the applicable rules at Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta.

Yogyakarta, December 2016 Writer

MOTTO

WORK HARD IN SILENCE, LET SUCCESS MAKE THE

NOISY.

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DO YOUR BEST AND LET GOD DO THE REST.

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STUDY while others are sleeping

WORK while others are loafing

PREPARE while others are playing

DREAM while others are wishing

-

William Arthur Ward

Always believe in your dream that someday you will make it happen.

-

The writer

TRIBUTE PAGE

In the name of Allah the Lord of mine.

I thank Allah for everything He had given to me. For every blessings and its overwhelming goodness and His unpredictable grace that happened in my life. I praise Allah for everything, I dedicate everything in this life for Allah, I was nothing but His slave that means not even a thing without Him. Thus, I created this thesis and finished already are nothing without his amazing help and its blessing, for all the happiness, joy, and amazing things, Allah is the cause of every good thing. Hopefully, through this starter step, Allah will let me go through the other unexpected journey of life within His beautiful plan. Aamiin..

For one and only, for the world’s best parents of mine, Ayah and Ibu who have given me so many things that is uncountable, who teach me and guided me to become the person that I am today now. For being the first best listener, advisor, and for all the prayers that lead me to my success and every step that I face in life, I thank both of you for that. Having you as my parents is one of the best gift and best blessing from Allah that needs to be thankful and proud for in every single day of my life. For all the love, affection, and other things that I cannot pay back, I hope every good thing I achieved in life will always put a smile right there on your lips, for every success and everything I do, is all dedicated for both of you. I love you, Ayah. I love you, Ibu.

As an addition, dedication also I proudly and happily awarded for my beloved Mas Nanda and Dek Sukma. Thank you for being the best sibling ever. Thank you for your endless support, affection and love. May Allah give us more

chance to make Ayah and Ibu happy and proud of having us as their children. Aamiin.

The writer also realized that this thesis will not written smoothly and its process will not complete smoothly without any support and prayer from everyone who involved. Therefore, special thanks and gratefully the writer dedicates for:

1. Special thanks to all my beloved friends: IPIREL IC – B the first and the best classmate I have ever met since the day we entered this university, IPIREL 2013 mates as the one who give me support directly or indirectly, thank you so much for all the endless support. See you guys all on top.

2. Special thanks to KKN Internasional GONJEN Squad’ mates: Helen, thank you for all the support and all the life-lesson you have gave me, thank you for letting me to know you more and being the best advisor of some context in life ever :D, Wulinda, thank you for all the support and all of our fan-girling stories we have ever shared, thank you for make me to love books and even to love reading book even more, you made it! Hahaha. Isti and Soraya, thank you for your support and all the advice which you guys directly or indirectly give to me. Last but not least, the boys of GONJEN, Mas Fanani, Dwi, and Sulis, thank you for the support and all the advice too! See you guys on top.

3. Special thanks to all of my Learning Express of Community Services’ mates: Eunice my LeX buddy, thank you for always supporting me, for all the advices, all the stories, and all the

life-experiences we have shared each other. For Dave, Issabelle, Veron, Jannelle, Bryan, Branson, and Meng Hong, thank you for all the life-experiences and all the lesson you guys have been given to me directly or indirectly, thanks for all the unforgettable memories. I miss you all! :D

4. Special thanks to the struggling-mates of this undergraduate thesis movement who have struggle together with me in doing this undergraduate thesis: Putri, Ainun, Revli, Ellen, Adit, Adrek, Pungky, Naya, Rizka, Sandyka, Untari. You guys rock! :D

5. Special and gratefully I thank for Cahya, Yuni, and Fitri as the boarding mates, thank you for your endless support guys, thanks for being the coolest mates in our boarding house, and thanks for all the memories! :D

6. Special and gratefully I also thank for the best buddies of Ala-Ala,

thank you for your endless support, for all the surprises, for all the memories, for all the special things you have created a joy in my life. See you all on top. J

7. Special and gratefully I also thank for Nada Yeehwansam, for being the best sister for me, for being the very best friend, the best advisor, the best companion in every time and every situation I had. For every ups and downs time, I thank you for still be there and for accept me for who I really am. You are not a friend or best friend anymore, you are like a

sister for me. Thank you nah. ^^ I’m beyond grateful to have you in life. You can always count on me, okay? <3

8. Special and gratefully I also thank for Cahya and Frelia, for all of your amazing support and the endless advice for me. Thank you so much for everything. I love you both. You both are listed. I’m thankful for having this strong bond until now. May we always have each other back. J

9. Special and gratefully I also thank for Ainun, thank you for every help and for always offering some helps. Thank you for every knowledge and for let me know one or two a thing that I may never know before. Thank you too for all the life-lesson you have given to me. Thank you, rek! :p

10.Special thanks and gratefully I also thank for all the awardee of Southeast Asia Youth Leadership Program (SEAYLP) Batch 6

Spring 2012 and the Staffs, SEAYLP means so much to me. SEAYLP takes a part in shaping myself for who I am today. Thus, I really want to mention you guys one by one.

11.SEAYLP 6 Spring 2012 Staffs: Rai, Jordan, Erick, Scott, and Aaron. Thank you so much for everything. Indeed, SEAYLP has changed my life, like a lot.

12.SEAYLP 6 Indonesia: Bu Medina, Bagas, Arya, Valerie, and Vito, thank you guys for all the indirect support and all the amazing lesson

you have teach me. Looking forward to make some amazing projects with you all.

13.SEAYLP 6 Philippines: Ira, hola Chabs! I finished the thesis already, thank you for always reminding me to do the best and being the best version of myself in everything I do. You can always lean on me as you always let me to lean on you. I miss you. For my beloved and lovely room-mates Pauline, thank you Pau for being the best room-mates ever during our journey in Nothern Illinois University, thanks for everything, thank you for always let me know that I am loved. For Hazel, hello bud, I hope you always doing fine, we all growing up and time flies so fast. I hope I can see all of you again the soonest. Last but not least, for Sir Flor, Louie, and John Paul, the Filipinos. I miss you all! J

14.SEAYLP 6 Thailand: Pi Pon, Najgy, Tin, Film, Tony, and Park. I thank you all too. I miss you guys.

15.SEAYLP 6 Burmese:Co Lin, Melvyn, Evelyn, May Pwint, Patrick, and Calvin. I miss you guys. I thank all of you too for all the amazing support.

16.SEAYLP 6 Cambodia:Sokheng, Seng Hong, Pum, Sreynoch, Inasy, and Kimloung. I hope I can see you soon. Thank you too guys.

17.Special and gratefully I also thank for all the participants of

US-ASEAN Young Leaders Summit.

18.Special and gratefully I also thank for all the participants of LEAD ASEAN Youth Summit in the Philippines back in 2013.

19.Special thanks for all mandarin language students.

20.Special thanks for all members of Public Relations Department of Student English Activity

21.Special thanks for all the Student English Activity Members

22.Special thanks and gratefully I also thank for my High School Friends, Anasya, Erlinda, Della and Hanum, and NG buddies, for all of your endless and amazing support. Thank you for supporting me until now.

23.Special and gratefully I also thank for your presence dear, Intan Chalizah Mazlin, thank you for your endless support, for all the lesson, for all the blessing, for all the memories, for all the sweetest gift and all the unforgettable memories we have. Know I always let you in. Thank you, mate! Anytime you need help, I will be happily help you and tried my best to help you in the very best way I can. J _{I located you in the} 23rd number of my tribute page as this number is your favorite number? :P

24.Lastly, I’m beyond grateful in having these amazing lifemates, for Laily, Shannas, Dina, Ochi’, Zivora, Arum, and all of my junior

high school friends. You are amazing. I love you so much. This almost 10 year’s friendship of ours in unpredictable. More years and InShaa Allah forever to come.

Thank you for everyone that I may forget and has not yet mentioned your name above, but Allah is the greatest, may Allah always bless you and always be with you all the time for every good things and prayers you all have given to me. Aamiin.

PREFACE

Assalamu’alaikum Wr. Wb.

Praise Allah SWT for the abundance of His grace and His Gift with its blessings. In the completion of the undergraduate thesis entitled: The Advocacy of Indonesian Domestic Workers in Singapore by Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics in 2008 – 2016. This undergraduate thesis made in order to comply as one of the requirement to complete the study and to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in International Program of International Relations, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta.

Appreciation and thanks are sincere to my beloved Ayah and Ibu for everything both of you have given to me as your daughter. For the endless love and support, for all the sincere advice, for all the love and affection and its attention morally and materially. May Allah SWT always bless both of you with His Grace, Health, and Blessing in your everyday life both today and in the hereafter.

Appreciation also given to Dr. Nur Azizah, M.Si as the supervisor during the writing of this undergraduate thesis. Thank you for all the advice in making this thesis well-prepared and well-presented.

The writer also realized that this thesis will not written smoothly and its process will not reach this finish step without any support and prayer from everyone

who involved. Therefore, the authors are grateful for the amount of its presence from:

1. Prof. Dr. Bambang Cipto, M.A. as Rector of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta.

2. Ali Muhammad, M.A., Ph.D. as Dean of Faculty of Social and Political Sciences.

3. Dr. Nur Azizah, M.Si as the Head of International Relations Department

4. Dian Azmawati, S.IP., M.A. as the Director of International Program for International Relations.

5. Takdir Ali Mukti, S.Sos., M.Si as the examiner I who gave his advices regarding the context of this undergraduate thesis.

6. Siti Muslikhati, S.IP., M.Si as examiner II who gave her advices regarding the writing context of this undergraduate thesis.

7. Ms. Margaretha Dharmayanti, S.Pd., M.Hum., as the language examiner who has guided me to make this thesis language in such good academic language.

8. Ms. Sitta and Ms. Luluk from the language institution of UMY for all the help and all the things that make me easier to do this thesis.

9. All staffs and lecturers of International Relations’ department of

10.Anja Wessels from HOME Singapore as the Head Research Consultant which has helped me a lot with some accurate and useful data and its information relating with this undergraduate thesis.

11.Kellynn Wee from Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) as one of the researcher in TWC2 which also the helping hand for me while writing this undergraduate thesis as also helping me to maximize its accuracy of the data and additional information which related with this thesis.

12.Ibu Rahayu as the Head of Yayasan Dunia Viva Wanita which also as one of the helping hand for by providing information and its insight regarding the topic of this thesis.

13.Special thanks to HOME, TWC2, AWARE, and Yayasan Dunia Viva Wanita who has permit me to conduct a research for my undergraduate thesis and its related topic. Thank you for the inspiration and the humanity side as the basic soul of this NGOs.

At the end, the writer realizes that in writing this undergraduate thesis is still far from the word perfect. Thus, the authors invoke any suggestions for the sake of good and perfection that maybe useful for all of us in the future.

TABLE OF CONTENT

UNDERGRADUATE THESIS ... Error! Bookmark not defined.

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MOTTO ... Error! Bookmark not defined.

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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ... Error! Bookmark not defined. A. Background ... Error! Bookmark not defined.

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CHAPTER II HOME AND THE ADVOCACY PARTNERS Error! Bookmark not defined.

A. Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics. Error! Bookmark not defined.

1. The Establishment of HOME ... Error! Bookmark not defined.

2. The Role of HOME in assisting the Foreign Migrant Domestic Workers Issue ... Error! Bookmark not defined.

B. Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics Partners

in Singapore ... Error! Bookmark not defined.

1. Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) ... Error! Bookmark not defined.

2. Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) ... Error! Bookmark not defined.

C. Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics Partners

in Indonesia ... Error! Bookmark not defined.

1. The Establishment of Yayasan Dunia Viva Wanita Error! Bookmark not defined.

2. The Role of Viva Wanita in assisting the Indonesian Domestic Workers in Singapore ... Error! Bookmark not defined. CHAPTER III THE ISSUES OF INDONESIAN DOMESTIC WORKERS

IN SINGAPORE ... Error! Bookmark not defined. A. Types of Problem Faced by Indonesian Domestic Workers

in Prior to Departure ... Error! Bookmark not defined.

2. Training Center ... Error! Bookmark not defined.

3. Monitoring by Agency ... Error! Bookmark not defined.

B. Types of Problems Faced by Indonesian Domestic Workers

in Singapore ... Error! Bookmark not defined.

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3. Degrade ... Error! Bookmark not defined.

CHAPTER IV ADVOCACY EFFORTS OF HOME AND PARTNERS Error!

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2. HOME and Viva Wanita recommendation to Indonesian’ Government

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3. TWC2 recommendation to Indonesian’ and Singapore’s Government

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4. AWARE recommendation to Employment Act of Ministry of Manpower Singapore. ... Error! Bookmark not defined.

C. Mediating with the Employers, Workers, and Stakeholders ... Error! Bookmark not defined.

D. Collaborating with the Local NGOs from Indonesia and Singapore. .... Error! Bookmark not defined.

CHAPTER V CONCLUSION ... Error! Bookmark not defined.

ABSTRACT

This undergraduate thesis tries to explore and obtain a deep understanding and analyzing about the issues faced by Indonesian domestic workers in Singapore. As an addition, this research also will elaborate the role of NGOs in involving to the process of advocacy done by the local NGOs in Indonesia and Singapore who has the same concern which is to advocate the Indonesian domestic workers’ issues in Singapore, as to advocate the foreign domestic worker protection. As we know that Singapore is become one out of best five most chosen destination country by Indonesian women to work as a domestic worker. Aside of that, they experience a lot of abuse, violence, sexual harassment, and other mistreatment while working there. Meanwhile, the government in Indonesia and Singapore also tend to ignore the specific regulation towards their protection in individual. Therefore, here the researcher would like elaborate the current condition of the Indonesian Domestic Workers in Singapore and the role of the local NGOs in Singapore which is Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics (HOME) and partners in advocating the issues, also local NGOs partners in Indonesia. As to emphasize, HOME and partners tries influence the government as the policy makers in order to pay particular attention towards the protection of Indonesian domestic worker and the issues they faced in Singapore.

Keywords: Advocacy, Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics, Indonesian Domestic Workers

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Background

Migrant worker is a worker that works overseas for improving their social and economic barriers in which they cannot afford in their own area or in their own country. Migrant worker means working for others in which means also the migrant workers is work based on instruction given by the employers they work for. In accordance with migrant workers, means relating between two states that cooperate together in sending off and receiving the worker in. Due to those fact, thus the government from both states especially the one who used to send the worker off should pay more attention towards their rights and ensure their protection while they work overseas, as well as the government from the destination country to apply and give more concern regarding their policy towards the regulation they have. This research paper will deliver about the advocacy’s efforts conducted by Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics (HOME) as the Singapore Non-Governmental Organization in cooperate together with the local NGOs from Singapore and Indonesia in advocating the issues and protection of Indonesian Foreign Domestic Workers in Singapore.

Singapore is painted as a land of opportunity, where you have an outside chance once you returning home bring more income to the families. That is one of the main reason why there are many foreign workers work as a domestic worker in Singapore. According to the Indonesian’s research center for domestic workers placement and protection, from 2010 – 2016, Singapore become one out of the best

five most chosen destination country by the Indonesian workers to work as domestic workers, together with Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. (Badan Nasional Penempatan dan Perlindungan Tenaga Kerja Indonesia, 2016). In Singapore, there are three different categories of labor migrant;

1. Highly skilled work permit holders (expatriates) who earn a minimum of SGD 2,500 per month;

2. S-pass holders, who earn salary more than SGD 1,800 per month; and 3. Unskilled (temporary) workers who earn less than SGD 1,800 per

month.

From the different categories above, Indonesian labor migrants fall into the third category which is most of Indonesian labor migrants working in construction, manufacturing, or as domestic workers (International Organization for Migration, 2010). A research by International Organization of Migration shows a report from the Indonesian embassy in Singapore that the largest number of foreign domestic workers in percentage of 55 come from Indonesia, followed by the Philippines with 40 percent and the remaining 5 percent are spread from other countries including Thailand, Myanmar, India, and Bangladesh (International Organization for Migration, 2010).

Table 1.1

25 most chosen Destination Countries for Indonesian Migrant Workers in 2012-2015 (BNP2TKI, 2015).

Table 1.2

The most chosen Profession of Indonesian Migrant Workers Overseas in 2012-2015 (BNP2TKI, 2015).

Based from the data provided previously above, the domestic workers is the first job in which being the most chosen by the Indonesians. Being domestic worker, it does not mean working in peace and receive their rights fully, in fact there are several problems appeared during their work in Singapore as a domestic worker. In 2014, HOME reported that in the shelters had helped 750 domestic workers with several cases reported. There are 97 cases of physical abuse, 19 cases of sexual harassment, and 333 cases of verbal or psychological abuse (O'Brien, 2015). Others data from HOME, showed in 2015 it is recorded 299 case of emotional abuse, 108 cases of unpaid wages, 102 cases of physical abuse, and 75 cases of insufficient food, among 1212 cases in total (Salvá, 2016). The data show that there are actually still many abuse experienced by the domestic workers in Singapore in which unrecorded. In accordance to the data explained previously, it is clear that the protection of Indonesian Foreign Domestic Worker in Singapore is has not been implemented in their well-being regulations, since there are still a lot of abuse, violence, and others inhuman activity during the FDW works abroad. Thus, their protection should become one of the important concern for the government. In accordance with the remarks of the UNHCR in General Assembly on Migration and Development, that: “Managing migration flows effectively requires understanding that migrants are not simply agents of development but human being with rights, which States have an obligation to protect”.

Meanwhile, the protection of the migrant domestic workers is still ignored by the stakeholders and the policy makers from both government of origin country and destination country. Although in Indonesia, the issue or case of Indonesian

migrant workers has been managed in UU No. 39/2004 as the highest regulation in concerning the migrant workers issue but still, there are some regulation in which the regulation and law are not explicitly written towards the protection of the migrant workers. In this case, Singapore’s government has largely relied on market forces rather than labor laws to regulate working conditions and recruitment practices. It is then not surprisingly that migrant domestic workers are not protected under the Employment Act (Wong, 2010). It will be different if the Employment Act as the policy makers make a regulations and its protection for the migrant domestic workers, there will be a guarantee and protection for the migrant domestic workers regarding their mandatory weekly rest day, overtime pay, paid sick leave, annual leave, and maternity leave. But in opposite, migrant domestic workers are covered by the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act in which provide protections that is less comprehensive than the Employment Act (Wong, 2010).

However, the regulations made are worded too vaguely to ensure effective and consistent enforcement. The act stipulates that rest days will be provided in accordance with the terms of employment contract. Although there was a standard of employment contract in which was introduced in 2006, it is still did not set a minimum wage nor did it set limits on working hours and employers are allowed the option of giving only rest day in a month, which is far below accepted international labor norms (Wong, 2010). Aside from that, a research and complaint are received by HOME informed that most of the issue experienced by Indonesian foreign domestic workers in Singapore are such as less training, paid high payments

for agency, unpaid wages and levy, insufficient food that contains of expired food, and less nutrition meal they receive, and lack of accommodation.

Responding to many issues experienced by the foreign domestic workers that happened in Singapore, some Non-Governmental Organization, International Non-Governmental Organization in Singapore, and other advocacy actors take a role as an organization that concerns to the rights and protection of foreign domestic workers in which somehow the Singapore’s Government gives less attention towards the issue. There are several actors involved in both countries in advocating the issue of Indonesian migrant domestic workers in Singapore who experience such abuse and any maltreatment. Thus, some non-governmental organizations play an important role in advocating their rights and protection in which all of them mostly has the same concern has its vision and mission to promote safety for Indonesian foreign domestic workers. In addition, their advocacy activity also refers to influence the government as the stakeholder’s authority to create, revise, and add a regulation where possible and ratify some constitution or convention in relating with the protection and rights for Indonesian migrant domestic worker, especially in Singapore. One of the main organization that has been mentioned above is HOME.

HOME is a non-governmental organization based in Singapore which concerns on the issues of migrant domestic workers in Singapore. HOME has provided services to thousands of migrant workers in need through its provision of shelters, legal assistance, training and rehabilitative services, with up to 10.000 individuals with several cases are being assisted each year. Roughly 60 percent of

those assisted by HOME are migrant domestic workers, and just under half of those migrant domestic workers are Indonesian. There are currently estimated that there are around 80,000 Indonesian domestic workers in Singapore (Humanitarian Organization for Migrations Economic., 2012). Through its day-to-day interaction – as the part of their advocacy process, with the Indonesian migrant domestic worker community, HOME has a clear insight into the challenge and discrimination facing by these women and the different ways in which the Indonesian government fails to comply with its obligation under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in order to prevent these women from being discriminated against both in Indonesia and Singapore (Humanitarian Organization for Migrations Economic., 2012). Therefore, concerning in the protection of Indonesian migrant domestic workers overseas is important and there must be an action to advocating and realizing it in further.

B. Research Question

From the topic that has explained above, this research study is intended to answer:

“How does the advocacy process conducted by HOME towards the protection of Indonesian Domestic Workers in Singapore?

C. Theoretical Framework

To elaborate the process in advocating the protection of Indonesian foreign domestic workers in Singapore, this research needs a model of advocacy to explain the step by step of the advocacy efforts. In order to answer the research question, the writer uses advocacy process elaborated through step by step illustrated in table

show below to give an explanation towards each step conducted and a model of integrated advocacy process to explain briefly the changing of the policy in accordance with the issues. First model that will be used to explain the advocacy conducted by Humanitarian Organizations for Migrations Economics are the step by step advocacy process which illustrated through the table below.

1. The Advocacy Process

According to Roem Tomatimasang, the main purpose of advocacy is to shape the public opinion and make the society or public realize and aware towards the issue. It is focusing on creating how to make them take action and raise its awareness of the public or civil society in regards with the issue that happened and faced by the victims. More specifically, advocacy is not only about changing the cognition of its elements such as knowledge and additional insight but also change its affection in its elements such as the behavior and attitudes of the people. Thus, Roem Tomatimasang stated that advocacy is an activity which at least need nine steps to elaborate the processes before reaching its content to change the public policy.

Table 1.3

Step by step process of Integrated Advocacy (Tomatimasang, 2013) THE STEP OF

ADVOCACY

PROGRESS AND ITS STEP Form the Core Ring

(Membentuk lingkar inti)

The process in advocating the protection of Indonesian migrant worker is focusing on the core ring, the foreign domestic workers. Data shows that most of the Indonesian Domestic Worker who work in Singapore are women comparing to the men and work as a domestic worker.

Choose the Strategic Issue (Memilih Issue Strategis)

The strategic issue is being chosen from the local NGOs data received through some research by H.O.M.E and Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2). The issues are physical and sexual abuse, economic abuse (unpaid salaries, wage deduction) and excessive works hours (no days off), and bad accommodation. Planning on the

Target and its

Strategy (Merancang sasaran dan

strategy)

Advocating the protection of Indonesian domestic workers by planning on change, revise, and add the Employment Act of Ministry of Manpower Singapore’s regulation in order to realizing the rights of foreign domestic worker.

Processing the Data and Collecting Information

(Mengolah data dan mengemas informasi)

HOME in collaboration with TWC2 were conducting interview session with Indonesian Foreign Domestic Workers (FDW) in Singapore and provide some questions to observe accurate data relating to the issue they faced. In addition, HOME also collecting additional information from the Indonesian FDW who stay in the HOME Shelter while waiting their case to be finished.

Gathering Alliance and Supporting Actor of Advocacy

(Menggalang sekutu dan Pendukung advokasi)

HOME build close alliance with many NGOs in Singapore such as TWC2 and AWARE. HOME also build strong partnership with the regional NGOs in Indonesia called Yayasan Dunia Viva Wanita.

Offering Counter Plan (Mengajukan Rancangan Tanding)

HOME and TWC2 and AWARE in offering counter plan to the government or policy makers in Singapore and together with Viva Wanita to counter its plan to the both states’ Government.

Influence the Policy Makers

(Mempengaruhi Pembuat Kebijakan)

HOME, TWC2, and AWARE try to influence MOM in making the policy more concern about the issue faced by Indonesian FDW in Singapore through lobby, negotiate, mediate, and collaborate processes before realizing the public policy changing.

Creating Public Opinion (Membentuk Pendapat Umum)

In Singapore, HOME, TWC2, and AWARE emerging campaigns in Singapore which concern to the protection of FDW in Singapore. One of the campaign is “Day off for Domestic Workers”,

2. Model of Integrated Advocacy

Advocacy is an effort to revise or to change the public policy to fit with the purpose or interest of those who insist or who want a change. Advocacy originally come the word “advocate” in which means to protect, to defend, to promote, or to advocate, or even in other means is to create and create an organized or systematic change (Azizah, 2013). In underlining the term of advocacy, the main purpose of advocacy is to realize a revise, or change of public policy. According to Laswell, the process of policy is divided into 4 steps, including: agenda setting, policy formulation and legitimation, implementation, and evaluation. In brief, advocacy is the pursuit of influencing outcomes – including public-policy and resources allocation decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions – that directly affect people’s current lives.

Figure 1.4

Integrated Advocacy Process. Source: (Azizah, 2013)

From the model stated previously, it can be seen that the advocacy process goes to each step in each sector. In the issues of Indonesian foreign domestic workers in Singapore, the process of integrated advocacy started from the very start up which is forming the alliances before begin the advocacy activity and what kind of issues or problem that will be advocated. As how the HOME formed alliances with TWC2, AWARE, and local NGOs in Indonesia which is Yayasan Dunia Viva Wanita also widely known as Viva Wanita, to discuss and form the strategic issues and problem experienced by most of the foreign domestic workers especially the Indonesians which is also one of the step before realizing the advocacy activity. Then right afterwards, it continues to choose the most strategic issue which happen to be the rights and protection of Indonesian foreign domestic workers in Singapore, as there is still many violence refer to physical and sexual abuse, economic abuse that refers to unpaid salaries, and wage deduction for a long time, bad accommodation they receive, insufficient food, and even their limit of association with their families or relatives. Those mentioned issues have been experienced by Indonesian Foreign Domestic Workers in Singapore. After knowing the fact there are still several issues appeared, as the NGOs, HOME form a cooperation with TWC2 in conducting an interview as one of the research method’s to get more accurate and specific information from the Indonesian Foreign Domestic Workers in Singapore in order to observe and divide the issue before it will be advocated afterwards by countering a plan to influence the authorities’ stakeholder or policy makers.

From the data and information collected from the previous step, the process will continue to the next step in which to influence the policy makers in Singapore and Indonesia towards their previous or the available policy or law regulations as to suggest and recommend put more particular attention which related to the issue faced by Indonesian domestic worker in Singapore. Following by the next step will be the lobbying, negotiating, mediating, as well as collaborating with all the involved advocacy actors which involve, in making the policy revised, added, or changed comparing to the previous policy regarding the issue. As the advocacy runs smoothly, then it means the advocacy process following the Integrated Advocacy Model is applicable and match to conduct an advocacy activity in further which related with the issue of migrant workers.

D. Hypothesis

From the explanation above, the hypothesis can be raise that the advocacy process done by H.O.M.E in realizing the protection of Indonesian Foreign Domestic Workers in Singapore is going through:

1. Lobbying the Ministry of Manpower as the Singapore Government to ratify the convention from ILO number 89th on Decent Work for Domestic Worker and International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Member of their Families and others International Convention relating to the issue in which both of States has yet ratify. 2. Negotiating with the Ministry of Manpower and the Employment Act as the

policy makers towards the regulations and laws or amendments to create a revision, to add, or to change some policies or amendments. Negotiate the

Singapore’s Government to include foreign domestic worker’s protection are the same under the Employment Act protection.

3. Mediating lead by HOME and TWC2 in which arranged between workers, employers, and other relevant parties such as employment agencies involved, to ensure that existing laws are enforced to uphold the dignity and rights of the aggrieved workers.

4. Collaborating with other advocacy partners as the supporting advocacy actors which are TWC2, AWARE as the NGOs from Singapore and the NGOs from Indonesia which is Viva Wanita in making a collaboration to work together by dividing each duty for the advocacy activity to accomplished the achievements.

E. Research Methodology

This undergraduate thesis used literature studies as the technique. The writer uses the data collection information through library research and others resources to conduct this research clear and its accuracy by using books, journal, article, and website related to the topics.

F. Purpose of Research

This undergraduate thesis has several purpose, these are:

1. Explaining the current condition of Indonesian Domestic Workers in Singapore.

2. Explaining the problem and issue faced by the Indonesian Domestic Workers in Singapore.

3. Elaborating the advocacy process and its efforts done by HOME and advocacy partners NGOs in advocating the issue.

G. Scope of Research

In order to avoid the wide range of research and to make this research more specific, the scope of research that the writer explained in this undergraduate thesis embraces the advocacy process towards the issue of Indonesian Foreign Domestic Workers in Singapore by the year of 2008-2016.

H. Systematical of Writing

The writer divided this paper into some chapters, and each of the chapter is connected and related to one and another, so it is become one in unite.

Chapter I, examining the introduction which contains: background, research question, theoretical framework, hypothesis, scope of research, and the outline

Chapter II, describing the role of HOME and HOME advocacy partners towards the advocacy activities

Chapter III, describing and analyzes the issue faced by Indonesian Foreign Domestic Workers in Singapore.

Chapter IV, analyzing the advocacy efforts of HOME Singapore and partners in advocating the protection of Indonesian Foreign Domestic Workers in Singapore.

Chapter V, consists of the closing and conclusion from the entire paper as a whole.

CHAPTER II

HOME AND THE ADVOCACY PARTNERS

In this second chapter, the writer elaborates the role of HOME and its partners in Singapore as well as Indonesia. This chapter also will explain how the role of each NGOs in taking action to advocate the Indonesian Foreign Domestic Workers in Singapore. As we all know, The Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics stands as an NGOs who has a concern towards the issues faced by migrant domestic workers in Singapore. Most of the client or victim assisted by HOME is Indonesian in which half of them are female domestic workers. Therefore, HOME stands to advocate the workers by using the term which called NGO advocacy whose has a motivation and desire for a better world for the disadvantages, in term of the rights and protection in which they cannot afford as they become a foreign domestic worker in Singapore. Thus, HOME emphasizes their role as local NGOs in Singapore and forms a close partnership with other NGOs to raise the people’s awareness and emerge an activity called advocacy towards the issue of the Indonesian Foreign Domestic Workers in Singapore.

A. Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics.

The Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics (HOME) is a non-governmental organization and registered charity based in Singapore in which is dedicated to serving the needs of the migrant worker community in Singapore, especially for the female migrant workers. HOME was established in 2004 and has since provided services to thousands of migrant workers in need through its provision of shelters, legal assistance, training, and rehabilitative services. In fact,

roughly 60 per cent of those assisted by HOME are migrant domestic workers, and under half of them are Indonesian (Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics; Solidaritas Migrant Scalabrini; Yayasan Dunia Viva Wanita). Due to those fact, as non-governmental organization HOME stands to advocate the migrant worker’s protection who work mostly as a domestic worker to get their protection and make them easily accessible towards their rights as a foreign domestic worker in Singapore.

1. The Establishment of HOME

HOME was founded by the CEO named Ms. Bridget Lew Tan as the former of the Archdiocesan Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerants People (ACMI) volunteer with the same concern in migrant worker issues. Lew began launch a new migrant center independently, known as the HOME in December 2004. Tan founded HOME and provided services and advocates on behalf of migrant workers using her own personal funds in December 2004 calculated $60,000 from her own Central Provident Fund savings (Chuan, 2014). At the very first beginning of the HOME establishment, the organization provides temporary room and board, medical, legal, and financial assistance, and job skills training to migrant workers. In addition, HOME was established since its founding in emphasizing the focus in which engages in advocacy efforts for migrant workers and support victims of the sex trade and to combat human trafficking.

This organization was run by Tan as she began to work for HOME without receiving any payment or salaries until 2012. Due to Ms. Tan dedication towards the migrant workers in Singapore, HOME and the founder herself receive many

awards such as Asia Public Service Award in 2010 by Asia 21 Society, and also honorable mention in the Reader’s Digest Asian of the Year award in 2010 (Tan, 2011). In addition, Ms. Tan was honorably mentioned by the US. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton during her speech in the release of the 2011 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report: “Our TIP (Trafficking in Persons) heroes today show us that individual action can lead to some astounding results. For example, in Singapore, Bridget Lew Tan has dedicated her life to protecting migrant workers.”

On the other hand, Ms. Lew continues her good working relationship with the Ministry of Manpower in solving the individual cases and trying to influence MOM’s policies by lobbying for changes in the system (Piper, 2005). In maximizing the role, HOME advocates the migrant domestic workers in Singapore through talks and media contact in order to raise awareness among the Singaporean public about the rights of migrant workers. HOME also conducted a close partnership with various partners as well as the NGOs from Singapore and Indonesia that have the same concern of the migrant domestic workers in Singapore. HOME also advocate for change by publishing reports, stories, position papers, writing letters to press, and even taking part in dialogue sessions with government agencies and other stakeholders on issues concerning migrant workers (Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics).

HOME also assist many things beside from advocacy and awareness, such as providing migrant service for the migrant domestic workers, particularly for women and also conducting research in order to receive more accurate data relating to the issue or things needed by the migrant domestic workers in Singapore. The

assistance of HOME through migrant service has seven aids available to the workers while they work in Singapore such as the Help Desks and Help Lines, Legal Aid, Shelter, Skills Training, Women’s Health Centre and Programs, Dental Clinic, and Volunteer (HOME, 2013).

In conducting the advocacy process, HOME received and maximized its fund in developing the service of HOME and helping the foreign domestic workers that has several issues and problems they faced.

2. The Role of HOME in assisting the Foreign Migrant Domestic Workers Issue

As in NGO advocacy within the general term, advocacy means organized efforts to realize an incremental change in which means that this activity cover all activities of any pressure group within business or government or even civil society which is pushing for change in some scope (Holloway, 2003). Advocacy also means as an effort to help the victim in receiving their rights and providing what they need in which the government do not pay particular attention on it. Thus, Migrant Service is one of the assistances as one of the advocacy activity done by HOME that provided to the migrant domestic workers especially to the female workers. More specifically, migrant services divided into seven parts, which are:

a. Help Desks and Help Lines, plays a role with many staff and volunteer to provide counseling and advisory activity to the workers in which HOME helped the worker who experienced injustice or even abuse. This service stands as a representative on behalf of the workers to communicate with the government authorities, such as the Ministry of

Manpower as the policy makers and also Police. The purpose of this service is to ensure that the existing laws are enforce to give more particular attention upon the dignity and rights of aggrieved workers is central to the work of the help desk (HOME, 2013).

b. Legal Aid which provides the legal advice and litigation service to the HOME clients on specific issue related to the arrears, family law, criminal law, compensations and the enforcement of court orders (HOME, 2013).

c. Shelter, is basically the main assistance of HOME, it gives the migrant workers free accommodation for women and victims of human trafficking. It is provided for those who experience abuse, exploitation, or have suffered injuries in their work in Singapore. In this service, the migrant workers may stay for as long as one month to one year, depending on how long the worker investigations may take place. Most of the clients who stay in the HOME Shelter come from Bangladesh, China, Congo, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Nigeria, Peru, the Philippines, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. Not only providing a shelter, HOME Shelter also conducting activities such as performances, workshops, and outings to engage the residents during their staying with HOME (HOME, 2013).

d. Skills Training, responding to the research that HOME conducted with some Indonesian female migrant domestic workers back then, there are still some problems faced by them such as their skills are not in line in

which that case caused the abuse by the employers. Therefore, HOME established Skills Training in order to provide training to all migrant domestic workers such as Sunday Classes for English Language, Mandarin Language Class, computer skills training (Internet using and Microsoft Office Applications), cooking, baking, care-giving, cosmetology, dressmaking, and also financial education. This service is aimed to create opportunities and increase the migrant domestic workers skills development (HOME, 2013).

e. Women’s Health Centre and Programs, this service was established to provide a place for education and sexual reproduction health related services. There are some activities included in this service such as a workshop of HIV and Sexual Health Education Workshops and call-in radio shows. The purpose is to encourage the migrant domestic workers to have a good understanding and concern about their health problem (HOME, 2013).

f. Dental Clinic, this service provides a free treatment for those migrant workers who are jobless and still required to remain behind by the authorities waiting for claims and investigations (HOME, 2013). g. Volunteers, is becoming one of the most service in which conducted and

participated by more than 200 domestic workers in serving the migrant domestic workers in Singapore. Their programs and services are available such as vocational skills training, sports, and recreation, HIV and AIDS Seminars, Hospital visitation and helpdesks for volunteering

information. The migrant volunteer services also produced My Voice

and Suaraku as the newsletter relating the migrant domestic workers in

Singapore (HOME, 2013).

In addition, in order to maximizing the role of HOME as the main actor of the advocacy activity, HOME works in close partnership with NGOs in Singapore such as TWC2 and AWARE, also with Solidaritas Migran Scalabrini (SMS) and

Yayasan Dunia Viva Wanita (Viva Wanita) which are based in Batam, Riau Islands,

Indonesia. HOME’s works partners also have specific role and activity that will deliver each one of them as their main role in conducting advocacy activity towards the issue of Indonesian Female Migrant Domestic Workers in Singapore. In relating with the advocacy class activity, therefore HOME conducted partnerships with some groups that has the same concern towards the issue of migrant domestic workers in Singapore.

A. Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics Partners in Singapore

Advocacy activity has two subtypes in realizing the issue or case, there are case advocacy or also known as individual advocacy and class advocacy. The advocacy done by HOME and partners are included as the class advocacy. The class advocacy stands for conducting activities in the name of several classes or several people in order to refer to their protection and introducing their rights. The focus of class advocacy is to influence or make a change of the policy by revising, adding, and creating a change of the public policy and the regulation of the law. In this class advocacy, there are some involvements that requires a politic process in which have the purpose to influence the decisions made by the stakeholder or the government

authorities (Suharto, 2013). By then, the social workers who plays a role as the advocacy actors acts as the representatives of the organization, not as an individual-practitioners. Thus, class advocacy is done through coalition with some groups and organization which have the same concern and agenda that reciprocal with the purposes (Suharto, 2013).

In this case, HOME act as the social workers who initiate an advocacy activity and form a coalition with the other groups or NGOs. HOME developed strategic partnerships with other NGOs on the prevention and protection of the victims of human trafficking, labor, and sexual exploitation. In addition, HOME also emphasizing their role by working with other NGOs as to strengthen their purpose that refers to advocate for better policies and laws regulating the migration of migrant domestic workers (HOME, 2004). HOME create their partnership from both states, Singapore and Indonesia. There are some NGOs involves in the close partnership with HOME in advocate the migrant domestic workers issue in Singapore with the local NGOs from Singapore such as TWC2 and AWARE.

1. Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2)

Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) is a non-profit organization registered under the Societies Act. Back in the history before the TWC2 formed, in December 2001, there was Indonesian domestic worker named Muawanatul Chasanah who died at the age of nineteen following month brutal assault by her employer, Mr Ng Hua Chye. Surprisingly, in Chasanah’s autopsy, 200 caning, scalding, punching, kicking, and burning injuries were found at the time of her death – where it was the accident, however known by the neighbor of the

employers, but tend to ignore and was not reported it to the police (Transient Workers Count Too, 2011).

a. The Establishment of Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2)

The Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) is a non-profit organization that emerged in late 2002 as an ad-hoc group before registered it was under the Societies Act that was publicly launched on 9th March 2003 (Piper, Migrant Labor in Southeast Asia, 2005). Responding to the issues, the outrage and concern over the apathy of civil society in Singapore however provided impetus for the formation of this organization. The main stated objective of TWC2 was to promote respect for domestic workers through education and secure better treatment of domestic workers through legislation and any other means. The Transient Workers Count Too was formed with the aims to promote respect for domestic workers through education and secure better treatment of domestic workers through legislation. It consists of society activist, lawyers, lecturers, and students formed as to raise awareness of FDW issues through public education and advocacy for more structure support.

Since its establishment, TWC2 focused on three main topics, first reducing demand for FDW’s. Second is providing standardized employment contracts and the third is improving the treatment of FDW’s by their employers. By giving its focus on those three pillars, TWC2 has two main purposes: first to draw attention to the gendered division of labor within the home and finding alternative solutions to Singapore’s reliance on the labor of domestic workers, and second address the abuse experienced by the Foreign Domestic Workers (Piper, 2005). Thus, HOME

think that TWC2 can be a good partner in advocating the workers with such problem.

b. The Role of Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) in assisting the Female Migrant Domestic Workers Issue.

In emphasizing the role of TWC2 as an advocacy actor whom cooperate together with HOME, the Transient Workers Count Too had conducted public forums and private dialogues with key stakeholders in exploring possible initiatives which refers to the further safeguard or protection towards the interest of foreign domestic workers in Singapore (Piper, 2005). The Transient Workers Count Too activities are mostly focused on the research in collecting information, conducting dialogue with stakeholders, campaigning as to give the information, emphasizing community involvement, and they also contribute to the governance in which means to the government bodies; trade unions; embassies; and other NGOs, and lastly they also dedicate the organization by documentation. On the other hand, there were over 180,000 domestic workers in Singapore in 2008, and the largest numbers came from the Philippines and Indonesia (Transient Workers Count Too, 2008). In working with women employed as domestic workers, TWC2 has focused its attention on the problems they face in Singapore.

As one of their projects, TWC2 launched two major campaign in 2003 which was called the “Day Off Campaign”, a campaign that aimed at encouraging employers in Singapore to voluntarily give their domestic worker a day off. Since there are still no written regulations by the Employment Act to create an exact work hours during their work days, there are still many domestic workers experience

long-working hours. This campaign also conducted through website and other campaign activities such as talks, events, and news articles aims to convince large audiences of the importance of giving their domestic workers help their personal time off. Through this campaign, the TWC2 also want to deliver the importance of A Day Off for Migrant Workers, as follows:

1. It is a basic labor right. Domestic Workers, unlike all other employees, are not included in the Singapore Employment Act which guarantees one day off week by law (Han, 2016).

2. It will improve morale and productivity of the domestic workers and increase more energy for them, it can enhance the employer-employee working relationship by giving them a day off.

3. It gives the FDW’s the opportunity not only to utilize their free time to learn new skills and increase their knowledge but also to be empowered as individuals.

4. It will also remind us as an individual to know that the migrant domestic workers are productive individual who make an extremely valuable contribution to Singaporean society and like all other workers, they should be accorded a day off as remembering their basic right as a labor. Still in association with TWC2, there were several facts about the foreign domestic workers in Singapore. Approximately 40% of Singapore’s 222,500 domestic workers do not have a weekly day off, despite the fact that the came into effect in January 2013 which made it mandatory. In fact, one in five households in Singapore today employ a domestic worker, primarily those with children or elderly

parents. A problem then arises when employers do not give their domestic workers time to take a rest a day in each week or informally ‘buy out’ their legally required day week or promising them payment in-lieu. As the majority of the Singapore’s domestic workers come from the Philippines, Indonesia, and Myanmar, it is then most of them are working endlessly with no breaks for personal time or rest in which often leads to homesickness and mental health problems such as depression. Thus, the TWC2, as an organization which stands to uphold the dignity and respect of the migrant domestic workers emerge the “Day Off Campaign” as it is included in close partnerships with HOME. As a result of their purpose is by giving them a day off and conduct the campaign, TWC2 seek to convince employers to give domestic workers day off. In addition, TWC2 also create a campaign, called the “White Ribbon Campaign” in which since 2004 the “White Ribbon Campaign has been spearheaded by the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE). White Ribbon Campaign is a campaign that is considered as a global movement against gender violence. It is basically a global movement conducted by males to end male violence against women and girls. The TWC2 invited the public to think critically about the employment of foreign domestic workers in Singapore. Aside from that, the TWC2 has continuously to actively engage government officials, migrant workers, employment agencies, partner organizations, and the general public. TWC2 has sine grow into reliable help agency for migrant workers who encounter problems with their employers, stands as a source information for employers and the public, a center for generating action-oriented research and a

credible advocate for a more enlightened regulatory framework (Transient Workers Count Too, 2011).

2. Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE)

AWARE is another NGO in Singapore which cooperated with HOME and TWC2 in advocating the issues and rights about foreign domestic workers in Singapore. AWARE is Singapore’s leading gender equality advocacy group in which it believes that it is the rights of women and men to be informed and responsible choices about their lives and to have equal opportunities. AWARE is contributed in stands for removing gender-based barriers. The barriers that means is apply both women and men, but due to the fact that the way human society has evolved, it is women who are more likely to come up against these barriers. Thus, AWARE works to identify and eliminate as possible towards the barriers through research and advocacy, education and training, as well as training and support training.

a. The Establishment of AWARE

In late 1984, a group of women who had participated in the seminar of “Women’s Choices, Women’s Lives’ decided and thought that they need to do something more than just make or listen to speeches about the current situation of women who works in Singapore. As it is going through some discussion, they felt that they need a women’s group in which able to campaign for gender equality in a coherent and consistent great way with its based on understanding the issues through research. Thus, AWARE was formed and it was officially emerged into being on 25th November 1985. By the establishment of AWARE, a vision and

mission then appeared and a value was added as the main purposes of the emerging association called AWARE.

AWARE Vision is to promote a society which has true gender equality – where men and women are valued individuals free to make informed and responsible choices about their own lives. Meanwhile, the mission of AWARE is to remove all gender-based barriers to allow individuals in Singapore develop their potential to the fullest and realize their personal visions and hope of lives. In realizing the vision and mission, AWARE has three main points in creating it, such as conducting research and advocacy, education and training, and support services. In addition, AWARE also adding three main values in correlation with their vision and mission. The first value is embracing diversity and promoting understanding as to accept the diversity. Second value is respecting individual and the choice they made in life as well as to support them when it is needed. The third value is creating a believe that woman should have freedom of choice over her reproductive and other privacy right in their lives. Thus, the establishment of AWARE, this association has already a strategic plan guides towards their work in purposed to respond their goals in which to the society that respects the human rights of all.

b. The Role of AWARE in assisting the Female Migrant Domestic Workers Issue

Since the establishment of AWARE in 1985, AWARE has carried out research into numerous issues affecting women, including workplace sexual harassment which usually experienced by the foreign domestic workers in Singapore, poverty of older women and Singapore’s compliance in standards with

UN anti-gender discrimination. AWARE also provides a feminist perspective in the national dialogue in which it has effectively advocate against laws, public policies, and mindsets that discriminates women. As a result, AWARE has contributed towards the strengthening of law which dealing with domestic violence (AWARE, 2016).

However, what AWARE has done in their role in maximizing their capacity to advocates some issues has connection and strong relations in responding to the issue of foreign domestic worker protection in Singapore. Thus, from the capabilities and experiences that AWARE has accomplished back then, HOME emerges a partnership with AWARE in advocating the issue by changing the law or give recommendation to the policy makers regarding the policy.

AWARE conducted researches and advocacies as their main roles as an association. AWARE also has maximized their researches and publications by publishing articles, journals, and reports in almost every year in purpose to provide information. Besides that, as one of their advocacy step is emerging campaigns called “We Can! Singapore” and “S.H.OUT!” which means Sexual Harassment Out. Their campaign is indirectly succeeded in raise the people’s awareness towards the relating problem experienced by the domestic workers in Singapore in which they become one of the victims of the main issues. As a result, AWARE also provide a counter plan or recommendation for the government in order give more particular attention towards their policies regarding the foreign domestic workers’ issues. Thus, through this campaign and action, AWARE has contributed to advocate the issues of female domestic workers in Singapore.

B. Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics Partners in Indonesia

In accordance with the meaning of NGOs advocacy in the subtypes of class advocacy, HOME also has emerged partnership to make a coalition and cooperation with the local NGOs based in Indonesia. HOME conducted partnership with SMS which still under the same leadership of Ms. Bridget Lew Tan as a sister organization which the concerns is to provide shelter for the trafficking or sex exploitation of Indonesian domestic workers in Singapore. Nowadays, SMS has been changed to Viva Wanita with the same vision and mission which are to set up a shelter to combat human trafficking and labor exploitation Indonesian domestic workers from Singapore and also Malaysia. SMS was established when the Viva

Wanita has not yet emerge, by then Viva Wanita is already emerge, then they

combine and work together as Viva Wanita.

1. The Establishment of Yayasan Dunia Viva Wanita

Yayasan Dunia Viva Wanita, is a non-profit foundation which established

in 2011 and dedicated to support the grass root projects including shelter services, women’s empowerment, youth training, HIV prevention and research. Viva Wanita and SMS jointly provide shelter, reintegration and rehabilitative programs and services to migrant domestic workers which just return or being repatriated from Singapore.

Before it was named as Viva Wanita, this organization is a former organization called Solidaritas Migran Scalabrini (SMS) which stands as a sister organization of HOME. Viva Wanita was emerged on 19th January 2011 with the

aims to protect women and children from human trafficking and labor exploitation which the office is located in Batam, Indonesia. Batam is an island of the Riau Islands which takes 45 minutes ride riding a ferry from Singapore and has become a point of transit and destination for Indonesian domestic workers from Singapore which may lead and cause the trafficking. The main purpose of the foundation establishment is to provide a shelter for the victims of human trafficking and those who repatriate from Singapore as an Indonesian foreign domestic worker.

2. The Role of Viva Wanita _{in assisting the Indonesian Domestic}

Workers in Singapore

Since its establishment, Viva Wanita has a vision and mission concerning and focusing on empower women at the grassroots in order to take responsibility for the betterment of their lives. As in addition, the mission of Viva Wanita focuses on three main points. First, educate as the basic foundation of human development. Second, empower the women in entrepreneurial skills and other skills that may become one of their capacity building skills for the women. Third, engage which means engaging with the communities to achieve its mission as to build better lives for all.

In maximizing their role in advocating the issue of Indonesian domestic workers, Viva Wanita provides shelter housing assistance for migrant women and children in which most of them are the victims of human trafficking and labor exploitation. The main purpose of this foundation is to provide a shelter for those who need especially for the women and children in which most of them are being repatriated or being the victim of human trafficking. In addition from different

focus, Viva Wanita has worked together with HOME in creating draft reports and conducting research to provide more accurate information about the Indonesian foreign domestic workers in Singapore or those who are in Viva Wanita shelter as need a place to rescue themselves. (Humanitarian Organization for Migrations Economic., 2012). Along with HOME, Viva Wanita also conducts several recommendations for the government of Indonesia especially, to ratify some convention in which related with the Indonesian foreign domestic workers in Singapore. Most of the conventions have its relations with the domestic worker’s rights and protection that need to be implemented by the government from both states.

CHAPTER III

THE ISSUES OF INDONESIAN DOMESTIC WORKERS IN SINGAPORE

This chapter explains and analyzes issues or problems experienced by most of Foreign Domestic Workers in Singapore, mainly the Indonesian Foreign Domestic Workers in Singapore. Approximately one in every seven Singaporean households employs a “live-in” migrant domestic workers in which doing the house chores such as child care work, domestic duties and elder care work these women perform help free up Singaporean men and women to work outside of their homes and leave the job for their domestic workers. There are more than 200,000 foreign domestic workers recorded by the Ministry of Manpower of Singapore in 2012 and the number is growing rapidly each year. Most of the foreign domestic workers are coming from the neighboring country such as Indonesia, Philippines, and Myanmar. According to IOM, most of the domestic workers are the unskilled (temporary) workers who earn less than SGD 1,800 per month.

The role of migrant women who work as a foreign domestic workers are all as both care and welfare providers can be analyzed from many different perspectives. The economic perspective emphasizes the rationality of live-in domestic work and the important impact of remittances on the material well-being and economy of the origin country of the domestic workers are come (Escriva & Skinner, 2008). According to the Indonesian government data, in 2014 of around 4.5 million Indonesian migrant workers who are mostly (around 70%) women were employed in domestic sector and they were in productive age margin between 18 to 35 years old (Surwandono & Azizah, 2015). Despite the fact of their household chores they

worked for, it is inevitably that there are several problems appeared faced by foreign domestic workers. The problems or issues they faced are divided into two types which are the pre-departure and the arrival in Singapore with their employers in Singapore. Most of the problems that they faced in Singapore are summarized in three Ds: Dirty, Dangerous, Degrade. Thus, this chapter elaborates in details of each problem experienced by Indonesian foreign domestic workers in Singapore.

A. Types of Problem Faced by Indonesian Domestic Workers in Prior to Departure

Women and girls are often depicted in the media both in Singapore and more widely as entering trafficking situations as a result of being physically abducted, sold by relatives or sent away with recruiters by relatives for what they believe to be other forms of paid employment. Most of Indonesian foreign domestic workers who do not have specific skills or known as low-skilled workers applied job overseas, mainly the neighboring country such as Malaysia, Brunei, and even Singapore. Many agencies from Indonesia in each branches often offer the low-skilled women and girls to work overseas with its interesting promises and make them decided to work abroad as domestic workers. Through those fact, it is inevitably that some agencies also take benefit which bring disadvantages to the workers. Through some process in pre-departure, domestic worker may arrive in Singapore heavily in debt as they are charged exorbitant fees for the processing of documents, placement and airline tickets by such placement agencies (Yin K. F.). Those problems become one of the problem that often appears by the workers before they depart to the destination country.

3. Mediating with the Employers, Workers, and Stakeholders

Mediation is increasingly being used to resolve disputes in many areas of life. It is one of the processes and alternative ways which involves a neutral third party bringing two sides together to reach a mutual agreement. Policy-makers and organizations increasingly recognize that mediation. Moreover, in mediation, employment tribunals do not resolve systemic problems at work that may underlie an individual dispute. Mediation is more likely to enable the employer to get beneath the problem and make changes to working practices that can benefit employees and the organization more generally in the long term. In another hand, mediation can help to address issues around and helping to prevent long-term absence.

Discussing about mediation, the mediation session goes once the problem appear in term of the role of agency in following the placement and relation dispute between employer and employee. The foreign domestic workers in Singapore are all recruited from the Singapore local agent to be placed in the employers and find the employers to hire them. Thus, as an agency they should pay their responsibility towards the workers they have recruited. Most agencies run this role as businesses in which the agencies might find it preferable to cease to have any role or responsibility towards the employers or foreign workers once the workers are placed in employment (Transient Workers Count Too, 2010). Meanwhile, many foreign domestic workers are running away from their employers to their agents which this showed the problem that the workers experienced with their employers. Although in the employment agencies license conditions has written to be concern and watch the current condition of the workers during their placement, there are still a basic problem which somehow does not require active ongoing monitoring for each branch.

Therefore, as the advocacy actor, TWC2 propose solution and conduct mediating session between employers, foreign workers, and the agents to solve this problem. TWC2 requires the agencies in Singapore to be required to perform spot checks on the workers they place to their employers. In-person visits to the employers’ premises and direct talk with the workers in accordance with the

absence of the employer since checking the workers through phone call does not give enough information and the real condition as well. Agents should record their observations in details and notify any breaches happened. Thus, TWC2 mediate with the worker, agent, and employer in order to require them to have a balance and unbiased manner (Transient Workers Count Too, 2010). This mediation conducted because basically formalizing the role of the agent in the post-placement is not unprecedented in the industry. Making the agents more aware and realize to formalize their duty is one of the goal in this mediating session.

4. Collaborating with Local NGO from Indonesia and Singapore

According to Keck and Sikkink (1999), transnational advocacy networks means framing the issues to make it comprehensible and get the audiences’ attention as the target, to attract and encourage its action and make it fit with the institutional venues (Keck & Sikkink, 1999). In doing the advocacy, it needs advocacy actors in the amount needed as to support the goals of the advocacy itself. As it is explained to attract the attention of others, there are also several processes that need to be done. Humanitarian Organization for Migration and advocacy partners in Singapore, TWC2 and AWARE collaborate together to in formalizing the process. Kick and Sikkink have developed several kinds of tactic in maximizing it. These include:

1. Information politics which means the ability to provide usable information

quickly and credibly that has the most impact (Keck & Sikkink, Transnational advocacy networks in international and regional politics, 1999)

2. Symbolic politics which means the ability to call upon symbols, actions, or

stories that make sense of a situation or claim for an audience that is frequently far away (Keck & Sikkink, 1999).

3. Leverage politics which means the ability to call upon powerful actors to

affect a situation where the weaker members of the network are unlikely to have influence (Keck & Sikkink, 1999).

4. Accountability politics which means the effort to oblige more powerful actors to act on vaguer policies or principles they formally endorsed (Keck & Sikkink, 1999).

Information politics binds network members together and brings its effectiveness to influence and attract the audience in conducting this advocacy activity. Non-state actors gain influence by serving as alternative sources of information in which means the information is not only provided through the fact but also testimonies – stories told by the person in charge in which their lives has been affected. As the advocacy actor, HOME provides a digital platform consist of website in which the domestic workers are the current writer to write and express all of their stories. MyVoice at HOME aims to give a voice to the voiceless – foreign domestic workers in Singapore. Other way to provide information is writing a research and report as part of the advocacy role done by HOME and partners. HOME and TWC2 often conduct interview sessions with the domestic workers and provide some questionnaire to research and observe regarding their current condition. Thus, this first step is important to be done as part of collaboration of the advocacy actors.

The next part is symbolic politics which the evidence of the creation of International Migrant Day on 18th December and the emergence of International Domestic Workers Day in 16th June. The purpose of the establishment of both celebrations is to make the audience and the society know and raise its awareness regarding the issue that the victim experienced. Besides that, HOME and TWC2 also conduct a campaign to raise the people – especially employers to provide a mandatory day off for their domestic workers. A platform of website and direct campaign has been done by HOME and TWC2 since 2003.

The next step is the leverage politics in calling upon the powerful actors to effect the policy, the researcher of TWC2 informed that TWC2 greatly formalized their role as NGOs by creating advocacy goal of a mandatory day off for migrant domestic worker in Singapore as the public agenda (Wee, 2016). Over the past 10 years, HOME and TWC2 have forged new frames of understanding the rights of migrant domestic workers and realizing a responsibility towards them. Advocacy

for a mandatory day off for the foreign domestic workers came up in 2008 along with the collaboration of HOME, TWC2 and UNIFEM Singapore (Wee, 2016). Through several campaign conducted, in 1st January 2013 then the policy came into force for all migrant workers to receive a day off.

Lastly, the collaboration of all the advocacy actors in maximizing the advocacy efforts is giving big impact in the advocacy process. As for instance, below is highlighted timeline for day off policy recommendation to the government.

CONCLUSION

The problem of foreign domestic workers will never stop and somehow will increase time by time. The Singapore and Indonesia’ government are tended to take this issue not as a big issue and needs long time to solve the issue. However, it will never decrease and remain the same if there are no current actions or direct regulations to protect their rights from both governments. Indonesian foreign domestic workers in Singapore experience some issues and problems during their work with their employer and still the stakeholders from Indonesia and Singapore tend to be late to protect their rights. The grim reality shows that many foreign domestic workers in Singapore face exploitation, discrimination, and unjust treatment, from their recruitment process in the home country to their job placement. In fact, the issues faced by foreign domestic workers globally are old cases and often intertwined which most of them faced such as hefty recruitment fees, absence of a proper contract, withholding of personal documents, low or unpaid wages or salaries, no day off, lack of rest, access to healthcare, physical and psychological abuse – all of those are common issues faced by the migrant workers. It is inevitable that the HOME, TWC2, AWARE, and Viva Wanita as NGOs are still take a role in handling this issue as the advocacy supporting actor who is also try to advocate and fulfill what the domestic workers deserve to receive as a worker.

REFERENCES

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