JP/Simon Sudarman

When the gubernatorial regulation on domestic servants took effect in the province of Yogyakarta in 2010, Yosephine Sari Murti Widiyastuti felt greatly relieved.

For Sari, as she is commonly called, her more than 15 years of struggle for marginalized women and children as well as victims of violence had resulted in the formal recognition and appreciation of domestic maids.

'It means improved welfare for domestic maids, whose status has been unclear for quite a long time. With the unique nature of their job, there are no fixed salary rates, which are based on mutual agreement between servants and employers and vary according to regions. But the amounts agreed must be reported to heads of neighborhood associations [RT],' said the 49-year-old woman, who codrafted the regulation.

The dean of the law school at Atma Jaya University-Yogyakarta (UAJY) was entrusted with preparing the regulation by a drafting team before its final enactment. The mother of two, who earned her doctorate from Gajah Mada University (UGM) in Yogyakarta in 2007, has been active in the defense of disadvantaged women and children, making her a familiar figure among all segments of society in the city.

'I've written articles in newspapers, criticizing the regional administration. I've done this to ensure justice, especially for women, who remain marginalized. I have no personal interests,' revealed Bu Sari, who was born in Gunung Kidul,
Yogyakarta, on June 28, 1964.

Her residence in Condongcatur, Sleman, Yogyakarta, is always teeming with guests from government circles, NGOs and civil society. When the draft of the domestic servant (PRT) regulation was being formulated, her house virtually became an office for discussions and meetings.

'We work to serve the public, so everything is done for free. I give lectures to earn a living for my family. When I'm invited to speak at seminars on workers, PRT or street children, I get some honorariums,' said Sari, who has been the chairwoman of the Forum for Handling Victims of Violence among Women and Children (FPK2PA) in Yogyakarta since 2004.

She described the implementation of Yogyakarta's PRT regulation as significant progress and something to be proud of because this law is a one-off in Indonesia.

Bu Sari, who is also general chairwoman of the Child Protection Institute of Yogyakarta, expressed her hope that other provinces would make concrete efforts to enhance the status and dignity of Indonesian women.

'Only half of my dreams of ensuring women's freedom and appreciation have come true, so I have to work harder. But I'm sure women's lives will be better in the future as various major cities in Indonesia have begun to side with women and recognize their social standing,' said the recipient of Yogyakarta's 2008 Legal and Rights Advocate award.

According to her, the job of PRT as informal workers is unique due to the fact that families are employers. 'However, they should reach agreements on salaries, working hours, welfare facilities, health and accident allowances and so forth,' she emphasized.

Meanwhile, there is as yet no consensus among different NGOs engaged in women's empowerment on minimum and maximum salaries for domestic maids. In Bu Sari's view, salaries should be based on propriety, the volume of work and mutual agreement.

'If the government is prepared to manage the vast potential of domestic workers and the female workforce is properly absorbed, there would be no need for women to become migrant workers [TKI],' the winner of a British award for her dedication to the Indonesia-Britain Youth Exchange Program of 2004 pointed out.

Therefore, she deemed it to be imperative to introduce a domestic servants' law, viewing as ironic the fact that on the one hand the government sent migrant workers oversees, while on the other there was no legal umbrella to protect Indonesian domestic workers at home.

'In other countries, domestic servant laws have existed for a long time. With this law, Indonesian migrant workers will be better protected through the presence of clear-cut foreign employment provisions,' continued Bu Sari, who also studied law in Germany and the Philippines.

She revealed that a PRT bill had been proposed several years ago; not, however, by the government but by the House of Representatives. Sadly, the fate of this bill remains uncertain.

'The PRT bill is not an interesting issue for the government and the House to follow up. It's unlike 'lucrative' bills. Debating the PRT bill actually demands sacrifice and partiality because it defends the interests of impoverished people,' she said.

'While civil servants receive retirement allowances, domestic servants and other informal workers should also be given pensions. When they are still active, they also need welfare insurance, health allowances and other such benefits,' Sari said.

Unfortunately, informal workers like PRT, food sellers and vendors do not have their own forum or association to safeguard their fate and interests.

'So, let's set up an organization so that we can have one voice and won't be divided. In this way, this sector will become a force worthy of heeding and taking into account,' appealed the holder of a jasmine brooch award presented by the National Scout Movement in 2010.

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