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IOM and partners delivered national training of trainers to empower migrant worker households impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic

Jakarta, Indonesia - On June 15 to 16, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and partners successfully held a national training of trainers (ToT) for government officials to support returning migrant workers coping with the loss of livelihood due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants are from various ministries and institutions that directly support migrant workers or implement empowerment programs at the village level.

The national ToT, in coordination with the National Agency for the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (BP2MI), and the Ministry of Manpower of the Republic of Indonesia (MOM), concluded the training series previously conducted at the province and districts level.

The Secretary of Human Resource Development, and Empowerment of Village Communities, Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration, Mr. Fujiartanto, mentioned an increased number of mobile populations. Therefore there is a need to empower the village and border communities. Furthermore, he underlined the importance of equipping them with the skills required to compete in the labour market.

After the ToT, IOM and partners will roll out training in multiple villages in West Java, Central Java, West Nusa Tenggara, and East Nusa Tenggara to returning migrant workers and households whose situations worsened by the pandemic situation. The training package covers various topics, including financial literacy, business ideas, marketing strategy, and personal branding to increase their future employment chances.

“I understand that migrant workers in Indonesia play a vital role in economic development. But, unfortunately, many of these migrant workers had to return to Indonesia during the pandemic, and they had a lot of difficulties in Indonesia after their return,” said Country Director Yun-Gil Jeong in his opening remarks.

Among the 250,000 Indonesian citizens returning since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority were migrant workers. The economic hardships due to sudden termination of the contract, difficulties in accessing social protection, and mobility restrictions that limit their opportunity to find alternative livelihood continued to exacerbate their vulnerabilities. At the same time increase their risks of labour exploitation and trafficking.

“Economic reintegration assistance helps returnees establish economic self-sufficiency upon their return. Through this, we can help ensure that migrant returnees are equipped with the skills or resources to reestablish adequate and sustained income generation for themselves and their families,” said Deputy Chief of Mission IOM Indonesia, Theodora Suter.

The ToT is part of IOM’s series of economic empowerment support and capacity development activities for migrants and their families. A partnership with Semut Nusantara and the Indonesian Migrant Workers Union (SBMI) in PIJAR Indonesia (Economic Empowerment of Indonesian migrant workers and families) and made possible through generous funding from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the United States Department of State’s Bureau for Population, Refugees, and Migrants (PRM).

 

For more information about the project, please contact Gita Agnestasia, IOM’s National Project Officer (Labour Mobility and Human Development) in Indonesia at gagnestasia@iom.int    

For media queries, please contact Ariani H. Soejoeti, IOM’s Media and Communications Officer in Indonesia at asoejoeti@iom.int/ 08122726308

SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth
SDG 5 - Gender Equality
SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities