Abstract:
ASEAN in an important platform to discuss the issue of migrant workers
because there is an economic disparity. In the ASEAN region, there are economic gap
that can be seen from several indicators such as GDP, the percentage of poverty,
infrastructure development and economic development that is different among
ASEAN countries. Based on ASEAN Key Economic Indicator, Indonesia has a low
GDP in ASEAN along with the Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Laos. According
to BNP2TKI, Indonesia is the largest overseas migrant worker sender in Southeast
Asia after Philippines.
Increasing migration of citizen is followed by various violations cases of
human rights especially in domestic workers. In January 2007 ASEAN agreed to the
“ASEAN Declaration on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Migrant
Workers (Cebu Declaration, p. 4)”, the content of the consensus relate to the rights of
migrant workers, obligations of home and host countries of migrant workers. With the
commitment of ASEAN to protect human rights, in 23 October 2009 ASEAN
established the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR).
The objective of AICHR is to promote and protect the rights of migrant workers in line
with AICHR, Indonesia has a strong commitment in the first term of President Jokowi
vision namely Nawa Cita which is to protect Indonesian citizens including Indonesian
migrant workers. This thesis concludes Indonesia has a role in AICHR in promoting
the rights of migrant workers by presenting the result of interview that author conduct
with the related parties in AICHR, BNP2TKI, ASEAN Political and Security
Cooperation, and Directorate of PWNI BHI in Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
