The final Programme Steering Committee (PSC) meeting of the Migration Governance for Sustainable Development in Indonesia Joint-Programme took place in Jakarta on Wednesday, 25 September 2024. The meeting concluded with a review of the achievements from the 33-month initiative implemented by IOM, UNDP, and UN Women at national and local (South Sulawesi, Central Java, and West Nusa Tenggara Provinces) level.

The programme achieved significant milestones in enhancing migration governance and migrant protection in Indonesia. It facilitated government-wide dialogue by reviewing 52 migration-related policies and producing national and local Migration Governance Indicators (MGI) profiles to inform policy changes and track progress. Through awareness-raising initiatives, including among youth, it promoted the Global Compact for Migration (GCM) and supported the prevention of online scams. Its coordination efforts led to calls for stronger protection of Indonesian sea-based migrant workers and improved national legal frameworks.

The programme also supported government actions against gender-based violence and trafficking in persons through capacity-building, AI-driven innovations, and strengthening criminal justice systems. Additionally, it enhanced migration management knowledge in three provinces and secured commitments from various local and national governments to integrate migration governance into future development plans. The programme’s innovative financing initiatives also empowered over 600 migrant workers and their families, while promoting local coordination and launching tools like the Juang mobile application to improve financial and digital literacy among returnees.

“These achievements not only underscore the critical role that migrant workers play in local development but also reflect the importance of continuing initiatives aimed at enhancing financial literacy and responsible remittance management, areas to which the programme has also contributed,” said Jeffrey Labovitz, Chief of Mission, IOM Indonesia, during his opening remarks.

Gita Sabharwal, UN Residence Coordinator in Indonesia emphasized how migration contributed to enhancing gender equality. “Evidence suggests well-managed migration is pivotal to sustainable development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Managing migration strategically also enables us to address gender inequalities. Empowering migrant girls and women leads to a “triple win” with their home, communities and hosts, benefitting from their social and economic contributions,” said Gita.

Through a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, the programme that aimed at strengthening migration governance in Indonesia, has benefited more than 5,149 individuals (three times exceeding the target), with 56% of the beneficiaries being women. Additionally, the programme brought together 32 government ministries and agencies, over 100 local governments, 29 non-governmental partners, and 10 universities to foster dialogue on improving migration-related policies and agendas.

“Migration is a multisectoral issue that requires synergy between the central and local governments and the programme has strengthened our institutional and human resource capacity in migration governance. We also note that this programme has encouraged the rise of understanding that the holistic protection of Indonesian migrant workers must start from improving policies upstream,” said Penny Dewi Herasati, Director of Socio-Cultural and International Organization of Developing Countries, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

To sustain the programme's impact, the meeting focused on follow-up actions to ensure Indonesia’s migration governance remains adaptable to emerging challenges. Key recommendations included appointing a dedicated migration coordinator within the government, establishing a coordination mechanism that promotes a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches, and providing continued support for the endorsement of the GCM National Action Plan.

The meeting that was attended by 193 participants from different ministries/agencies, migrants, diasporas, local communities, civil society, academia, the private sector, trade unions, national human rights institutions, and beneficiaries, is a part of the Migration Governance for Sustainable Development in Indonesia programme funded by the Migration Multi-Partner Trust Fund (Migration MPTF).