VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

To improve the understanding of the protection and promotion of Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the ASEAN Study Center of the University of North Sumatra (USU) held a Public Consultation regarding the issue of PMI in Medan, April 22-23 2019.

"The Public Consultation is aimed at increasing public understanding in realizing the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community which pays attention to the protection and promotion of PMI's rights in the Southeast Asia region," said Riaz Saehu, Director of  ASEAN Socio-Cultural Cooperation.

 Riaz further said that this activity was held as a form of implementation of the ASEAN 2025 vision: "Moving Forward Together" aimed at consolidating the development of the ASEAN Community, especially in improving the quality of life through people-oriented, people-centered cooperation, and initiated by the people, while related to improving PMI services and skills, the Government has planned pre-departure orientation activities and reintegration programs for returned migrant workers.

Based on data from the Directorate of Indonesian Citizen Protection-Indonesian Legal Entity (PWNI-BHI) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, per year Indonesia is one of the largest sending countries of migrant workers in ASEAN, where the number of PMIs in ASEAN is 1,490,768 people, the majority work in the informal / domestic sector. Data from National Agency for Placement and Protection of PMI, BNP2TKI notes that in 2017 there were 17,106 workers from North Sumatra. The total PMI from this province in the period 2011-2017 was 97,556 workers. (kemlu)