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View all search resultsWhy maternity leave is an investment in our future
While Indonesian law promises maternity leave, structural barriers and the undervaluation of care transform this vital right into an inaccessible luxury for many working mothers.
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An infant's hands are held next to adult hands in this undated illustration. (Shutterstock/-)
E
ach year, International Labor Day in the country is marked by renewed calls for fair wages, job security and decent working conditions. These demands remain essential. Yet, one critical issue continues to receive far less attention than it deserves: maternity leave.
Indonesia currently guarantees three months of maternity leave, with the possibility of extension up to six months under specific medical conditions following the enactment of Law No. 4 of 2024 on maternal and child Welfare. While this represents a step forward, in practice, most women workers still experience only the minimum duration. More importantly, the current framework remains insufficient to address the broader realities of women’s health, early childcare, and workplace equity.
In formal terms, maternity leave exists. In practice, access remains uneven.
Findings from field-based research in labor-intensive sectors show that many women return to work before their bodies have fully recovered, and before their infants are ready to be separated. Financial pressures, unclear compensation mechanisms and concerns about job security often force workers to shorten their leave.
My doctoral research further indicates that a significant proportion of workers lack clear information about their maternity rights and face inconsistent communication from employers. In some cases, women are discouraged, implicitly or explicitly, from taking their full entitlement.
This reveals a persistent gap: Maternity leave may be guaranteed by law, but it is not always experienced as a real, accessible right.
The implications of inadequate maternity leave extend far beyond the workplace.
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