Maids: From transnational exploitation to transnational strategy.

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Maids: From transnational exploit tion
to trans ational strategy
.
A g u s P ra tiw i

BANDUNG

fa m ilie s liv in g in th e G c e
T h ro u g h

th e
1995

c o u n trie s .
U ru g u a y

R ound,

O rg a n iz a -

th e W o rld

h e g o v e r n m e n t 's

a n tic lim a c tic

tio n

re sp o n se


to th e

e x e c u tio n

A g re e m e n t

m ig ra n t

w o rk e r

T

R u y a ti

of

b in ti

(W T O )


o f g lo b a l

of

and

h o u s e m a id

Saudi

S iti

A ra b ia ,

N u rja m ila h

re fle c ts

th e


in

g o v e rn -

e x is te n c e
c lu d in g

b u t a ls o to b u ild g lo b a l a w a re n e s s
th e

tra n s n a tio n a l

le n c e

c a rrie d

w o rk e rs.

p a tte rn


out

Or

of

a g a in s t

to

be

d o m e s tic

e x a c t,

th e ir

p ro c e ss


o f th e s e

fo r th e

w o rk e rs.

q u a rte rs

m e n te d ,

In d o n e s ia n

e rs w e re

w om en

w e re e m p lo y e d
T h e re fo re ,

of docu-


m ig ra n t

a s d o m e s tic w o rk e rs .
to p ro te c t

m i-

b e e n d e s ig n e d fo r th e ir p ro te c tio n .
needs

of

th e ir

a n d d e s tin a tio n

d o m e s tic

c o u n trie s
s te m

w o rk o f o rig in

fro m

th e s a m e

s itu a tio n s :

N o o n e is re s p o n s ib le

h o u s e h o ld

d u tie s b e c a u s e

and husband

w o rk

e q u a lly . In b o th

or because

In d o n e s ia ,

th e

th a t

have

e m p lo y m e n t.

in g d a y s

of

and

th e

th e y

hom e

w o rk e rs,

ta in e d

by m em ber

o g n iz e

th e s e

in c lu d -

h is to ric a lly

a re

no

w o rk w o rk in g

e m p lo y m e n t
o f v io le n c e

w o rk e rs

C o u n c il
c e iv e d

th e

re la -

o f k in s h ip

and

a g a in s t

G u lf

C o o p e ra tio n

(G C C )

c o u n trie s

have

m ig ra n t

d o m e s tic

w o rk e rs,

e rs is h is to ric a lly
th e e m p lo y in g

re -

w o rk -

le s s w e ll-k n o w n

by

th e

d o m e s tic
th e d e -

a n d m ig ra tio n .

o f th e n e e d to d is -

s e rv ic e

s e c to rs

h o u s e h o ld

p e rs is ts ,

on

h a s p ro v e d

a n o b s ta c le

fo r th e a g e n b o th w ith in

o f th e n a tio n a l

The

n a tio n a l

and

re g io n a l

agen-

d a s o f s k ill im p ro v e m e n t p ro v e p o w e rle s s w h e n fa c e d w ith th e d o m in a tio n

of

g lo b a l

s u s ta in a b le
For

p o lic ie s

u n s k ille d

m ig ra n t

s e llin g

s u p p o rtin g

jo b s .

d o m e s tic

o f th e ir

la b o r

d e s tin a tio n

c o u n trie s

o n ly o p tio n

fo r th e m

w o rk e rs,
pow er

m ay
w h ile

th e re

G iv e n

th e

tra n s n a tio n a l

p a tte rn

re v is in g th e p ro te c -

tio n ru le s fo r m ig ra n t w o rk e rs , e s p e c ia lly m ig ra n t

d o m e s tic

w o rk e rs,

coun-

In d o n e s ia ,

is a m u s t fo r In d o n e s ia .
B u t w ith
th e g o v e rn m e n t

o p tio n

re n tly

becom e

a te m p tin g

Kllping

fo r

Huma.

is

a n d g lo b a l tra d e o f d o m e s tic w o rk e rs

e rs , p ro m o te d
has

th e

little c h a n c e fo r s k ill im p ro v e m e n t.

th a t th e y

b y h o u s e m a id s '

to

be

w o rk -

o f o rig in , in c lu d in g

and

re g io n a l p ro g ra m .

th e m o d e l o f liv e -in d o m e s tic
trie s

th e

b a s is o f th e d iv is io n o f la b o r o f s k ills

a s c o m m o d itie s ,

fa m ilie s .

W h ile th e fa ilu re o f e q u a l d iv is io n
in th e

trib u te

th e

o f o rig in .

th e m o d e l o f liv e -in d o m e s tic

o f ro le s

re c -

T h e p ro b le m is th a t
th e h o m e c o u n trie s
o f th e s e w o rk e rs ,
in c lu d in g In d o n e s ia ,
h a v e h is to ric a lly a n d
c u ltu ra lly a p p lie d
th e m o d e l o f liv e -in
e m p lo y m e n t.

is a ls o h is to ric a lly

in th e ir c o u n trie s

W h e re

b a te o n fre e tra d e

sus-

th a t

d u rin g

th e fra m e w o rk s

ig n o re s

p ro fe s s io n a l

lo y a lty . A c u ltu re
ro o te d

to th e

s e c to r

T h is

e ig h t-h o u r

tio n s , o n ly re la tio n s
d o m e s tic

happened

com -

be

s e c to rs . T h is

d a o f s k ill im p ro v e m e n t,

re la tio n s .
T h e re

s ta te s

u n s k ille d

s e rv ic e s

in

s e c to rs

m ust

th e m o d e l o f

a p p lie d

c o n c e p ts

s e c to rs

T h e le g itim a c y

is

o f th e s e

a n d c u ltu ra lly
liv e -in

fre e tra d e

it.

a s a m a rk e ta b le

th e

in -

w o rk e rs,

c a s e s , fa m ilie s o fte n

p ro b le m

c o u n trie s

re se rv e s,

d u tie s

a h o u s e m a id .

The
in g

fo r

b o th w ife

a re n o t a b le s h a re h o u s e h o ld
re c ru it

s e rv ic e
th a t th e

w o rk -

g ra n t w o rk e rs s h o u ld b e in lin e w ith
n a tio n a l
s tra te g ie s
th a t h a v e a ls o
The

ru le s

a n d m o s t o f th e m

m e a su re s

e rs in b o th

th e

because

deem ed

is w h a t

th re e

in

A s lo n g a s s o m e u n s k ille d
a re

w o rk

2 0 0 8 -2 0 1 0 ,

th e

d o m e s tic

s e rv ic e s re q u ire s

L abor

(IL O ) b e tw e e n

S e rv ic e s

o f u n s k ille d

o f u n s k ille d

is m a in ta in e d

B a s e d o n d a ta fro m th e In te rn a tio n a l
O rg a n iz a tio n

G e n e ra l

in

fo rth

p e rso n s

m ig ra n t

m o d ity ,

c o m m o d ific a tio n .
T h e is s u e is v e ry im p o rta n t
m ig ra tio n

of

v io -

la y s

th e

It is n o t s u rp ris in g

m e n t 's f a i l u r e t o n o t o n l y t o r e v i s e m i re g u la tio n s

T ra d e

d is trib u tio n

s k ille d

s e c to rs .

g ra n t w o rk e r

p ro te c tio n

on

(G A T S ). T h is

S a tu b i a n d , m o s t re c e n tly , th e d e a th

T ra d e

p ro d u c e d

h a v e a lo n g -te rm

te n d in g

Onpad

to

ZO 11

so

p u rp o se

c o m p ro m is e

c u rth e

d is trib u tio n

of

In d o n e s ia n

w o rk -

re se rv e s,

it is n o t

e rs a s lo w -s k ille d
s u rp ris in g
g ra n t
by

th a t

th e

W o rk e rs'

p la c e m e n t

p re v a ilin g

L aw

ra th e r

th a n

fro m

Saudi

lo m a tic

A ra b ia

In d o n e s ia n
m itm e n t
change

does

d ip -

n o t p ro v e th e
com o f th e s e

The

g o v e rn m e n t

s h o u ld

its p o litic a l s ta n c e a n d c o m e
th e

c o m m o d ific a tio n

re se rv e s.

im p o rta n t

T h is

is

to
to

s tra te g ie s

th e

is

im p o rta n t

fa m ilie s

fro m

caught

up

th e

and

in

d e s ti-

gender

in -

e q u a lity fe e d th e m a rk e t o f d o m e s tic
s e rv ic e s tra d e .
If

o n ly

d u tie s

re d u c e

m em It c a n

e q u a lity

c o u ld

th is s tra te g y
c a n s e rv e to

e x p lo ita tio n

o f m ig ra n t

d o m e s tic w o rk e rs .
For

In d o n e s ia ,

m o re

se v e re .

g lo b a l

tra d e

in

tic w o rk e rs .

th e

F ro m

is a c o u n try

c h a lle n g e

lo o k in g

s e rv ic e s ,

o f o rig in
The

In d o n e s ia
fo r

dom es-

G C C re p re s e n ts

In d o n e s ia n
gauge

m e a su re s

th e

im p le m e n te d

s ta n d a rd s

a d o p te d

th a t

b y d e s tin a -

L o o k in g a t e lig ib ility

a s N o rw a y , th e
e n su re

g o v e rn m e n t

in c o u n trie s

g o v e rn m e n t

such

s ta n d a rd s

a tra n s n a tio n a l

fo c u s

re a lis tic

o p tio n

fo r s e n d in g

w o rk e rs

o v e rse a s.

and

s ta n d a rd iz a tio n

not m eet

e le m e n ts

m ig ra n t

m e a su re s

and

p ro te c tio n

th a t

to m ig ra n t

d o m e s tic

n o t m e re ly

re s tric te d

P e rh a p s

th e n ,

m ig ra n t

d o m e s tic

be

th e

o v e rc o m e .

d a y c a re

m o b il-

e x p lo ita tio n
w o rk e rs

In d ic a to rs

c e n te rs

p s y c h o lo g ic a l

such

fo r m e n

e d u c a tio n

of

m ig h t

fa c ilitie s , h o u s e h o ld

tra in in g
p a re n ts ,

to th e

in th e p u b lic d o m a in . •

and

as

b y th e g o v e rn in th e s p irit

o f e q u a lity .
th a t a im to p ro -

e q u a lity

fro m

o f th e S o c ia l In s titu tio n

th e lik e s

and G ender

In d e x (S IG I), s h o u ld ta k e th e s e in d iM a n y d e v e lo p e d . c o u n trie s ,
in

ity

S c a n d in a v ia ,

fa c ility -b a s e d
p ro g ra m s

s p e c tiv e s

d o m a in
liv e -in

have

to w a rd

w o rk e rs.
G ender

have

p ro v e d

gender

e q u a l-

m ig ra n t

p e r-

d o m e s tic

e q u a lity

in th e
th e

d o m e s tic
am ount

m ig ra n t

b u t th e s e k in d s o f w o rk e rs
b e e n a b o lis h e d

th a t

c o u n trie s

o f th e

N a tio n a l
a n d P ro -

M ig ra n t W o rk -

e rs (B N P 2 T K I).
T hese

s ta n d a rd s

p lo y m e n t
w age,

re s tric tio n

su ra n c e .

ty p e

M ost

s ta n d a rd s
s ta te

in c lu d e

c o n tra c ts ,

th e

em -

m in im u m
of

of

w o rk in g

w o rk

and

im p o rta n tly ,

show

agency

th a t

th e re

re s p o n s ib le

in -

th e s e
is

fo r

a

th e ir

im p le m e n ta tio n .
lo n g e r s e rv e a s a n a g e n c y th a t p la c e s
m ig ra n t w o rk e rs
p e rv is o r
s io n a lis m
w o rk e rs

a b ro a d , b u t a s a su -

o f th e s ta n d a rd s

o f p ro fe s-

a n d p ro te c tio n

o f m ig ra n t

o v e rse a s.

of

s h o u ld

b e re fle c te d a t h o m e s o th a t d e s tin a . ti n c o u n trie s ta k e in to a c c o u n t th is

w o rk e rs,

new

have not

w o rk e rs.

c u ltu re

o f re s p e c tin g

d o m e s tic

a lto g e th e r.

In N o rw a y , fo r e x a m p le ,
w o rk e rs

b y th e N o rw e g ia n

s ta n d a rd iz e s

m ig ra n t

a re p ro fe s s io n a lly

to ra te o fIm m ig ra tio n ,
th a t

espe-

changed

h a s re d u c e d

fa c ilita te d

s ta n d a rd s

O f c o u rs e , s u c h s ta n d a rd s

d o m e s tic

d o m e s tic

is th e re s p o n s ib ility

is to n o t

In s h o rt, th e B N P 2 T K I s h o u ld n o

c a to rs in to a c c o u n t
c ia lly

m in im u m

a re th e n m e t b y d e s tin a tio n

h o u rs,

m o te g e n d e r

th a t

S e ttin g

be

w o rk -

a b ro a d .

te c tio n o f In d o n e s ia n

fo r

c itiz e n s to p e r-

G lo b a l p ro g ra m s

c h o ic e

c h ild

c e n te rs

d u tie s

rig h t

s e n d m ig ra n t w o rk e rs

A g e n c y fo r th e P la c e m e n t

a ll p ro v id e d

h o u s e h o ld

th e

s h o u ld

w o rk

m e n t, w ill e n c o u ra g e
fo rm

e rs , th e n

do

o f p ro fe s s io n a l-

a ffo rd e d

ity o f w o m e n

have

can be a

is m

and

such

s h o u ld

fo rm p a rt o f p o lic ie s th a t a re re la te d
w o rld w id e

a

s ta n d a rd iz a tio n

to m ig ra n t

w o rk e rs

is

a t th e

h u g e m a rk e t fo r th e s e w o rk e rs .

If

gender

th e

re m a in

w o rk e rs.

c o u n trie s

tio n c o u n trie s .

a s in g le ro o t:

in

in d e s tin a tio n

The

in b o th

w ages,

o f fa m ily

b e rs , n o t d o m e s tic

s h o u ld

w o rk e rs

o f o rig in

o rig in a te s

h o u s e h o ld

re s p o n s ib ility

b u ild

because

o f d o m e s tic

c o u n trie s

M ost
th e

b rid g e

o f o rig in a n d d e s tin a tio n .

e x p lo ita tio n
n a tio n

of

a g a in ,

s tra te g y

g a p b e tw e e n

c o u n trie s

B ut

th in g

tra n s n a tio n a l

th e ir

o th e r

p ro te c tio n

u n s k ille d

th e

and

g o v e r n m e n t 's

o u t a g a in s t

a

w o rk e rs

to th e

w o rk e rs.

m ost

m ig ra n t

a c tio n s

a n d re g u la te s

b e s a id th a t e m p lo y in g

c la u s e s o f p ro te c tio n .
R e p a tria tin g

h o u rs

a n d a ll th is fo r re la tiv e ly lig h t w o rk .

M i-

is d o m in a te d

c la u s e s ,

w o rk in g

D ire c -

a s ta te a g e n c y

c o n tra c ts ,

lim its

The writer is a lecturer and
researcher o n feminist legal issues
at the Faculty of Law, Padjadjaran
University, Bandung.