International Organization for Migration (IOM) in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Indonesian Migrant Worker Protection Agency, held a series of provincial workshop on Localizing the Global Compact for Migration (GCM) and 2030 Agenda in Mataram (23/5), Semarang (29/5) and Makassar (12/6). The events brought together participants of local government officials (from the Regional Development Planning Agency, Department of Population and Civil Registry, Department of Health, Department of Social Affairs, and other related local government institutions), civil society, migrant associations, academia, and media.

The workshop was part of the joint UN programme the Migration Governance for Sustainable Development in Indonesia programme (2022-2023), implemented by IOM together with UN Women and UNDP. The programme aims at enhancing local stakeholders’ capacity to maximize migration development potential. West Nusa Tenggara and Central Java province were chosen as the regions are belong to the fourth highest sending provinces of migrant workers in Indonesia. 

The Director for Socio-Cultural Affairs and International Organization of Developing Countries, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Penny Dewi Herasati, conveyed her support for GCM initiative. “We welcome GCM  to strengthen the protection and services of Indonesian citizens abroad. This initiative encourages us to strengthen migration regulations and procedures, including improve skills of migrant workers, strengthen protection for foreign workers as well as strengthen policies and cooperation to prevent migrant smuggling and trafficking in persons,” said Penny during the event in Mataram. 

The Secretary of the Manpower and Transmigration Department of West Nusa Tenggara Province, Najib, said, “If we look at the achievements of development on employment in West Nusa Tenggara province, it is very encouraging, where the achievements of the Main Performance Indicator, namely the Open Unemployment Rate showed a downward trend in the last three years, from 4.22% in 2020, to 3.01% in 2021 and 2.89% in 2022. Our programmes; PePADU Plus, Zero Unprocedural Migrant and Clinic Programmes Mobile Employment Consultation Service; have contributed to this success.”  

Meanwhile in Semarang, Imam Maskur, Head of Social Welfare, Government of Central java Province, highlighted efforts of local government to improve migration procedure and strengthen the protection of migrant workers. "The Task Force team in Semarang has done massive socializations on job opportunities and work procedures, 3 times online and 19 times offline. However, the number of prospective migrant workers who register at the Manpower Office still very small. Further dissemination efforts must be taken for example through social media, flyers, banners, and other means. Mutual cooperation is also needed to achieve better GCM results," he said. 

“We can use GCM as a tool to see how we may craft programmes and policies from our respective agencies’ position to ensure that when these various groups of people are on the move, they do so in a manner that is safe, orderly, dignified, and contributing towards the national and local development”, stated Zena van Bemmel-Faulkner, IOM Programme Officer, in her remarks. 

The workshop discussed the overview of GCM, key considerations, guidance, and suggested a six-step process to support local government in implementing the GCM including the best practice and successful GCM implementation at the local level. The National Action Plan for GCM has been drafted with the involvement of all stakeholders (government elements, local government representatives, international organizations, academics, labor associations and the community) and currently waiting for an endorsement through Presidential Regulation.