Garment workers in Indonesia generally work in vulnerable conditions. The wages received are still relatively low, often only limited to meeting minimum needs, and not even enough for the decent living expenses of workers and their families. The work system in the garment sector is characterized by high production targets, long working hours, and the use of short-term employment contracts. This makes the position of workers unsafe, easy to dismiss, and without adequate social security.

In addition, discrimination is still experienced by many female workers and LBQ workers , who are dominant in the garment sector. They often face gender stereotypes, have difficulty getting promotions, and experience unfair treatment related to menstrual and maternity leave.

It is not uncommon for violence, both physical, verbal, and sexual, to be committed by superiors or foremen at work. This form of violence is often considered common and rarely reported because workers are afraid of losing their jobs. Overall, the conditions of garment workers reflect the exploitation of cheap labor, with heavy workloads, neglected labor rights, and still very weak protections.

In 2024, we used the support from ESSF to run the Decent Work without Discrimination and Gender-Based Violence program which focuses on campaigning, education and empowerment activities for Pelangi Mahardhika women workers[1] which aim to strengthen their capacity to organize and defend their rights in the workplace.

The activities we carry out are as follows:

1. Speaking Out for Women’s Rights on International Women’s Day and Labour Day

Throughout 2024, the focus of the Mahardhika Women’s campaign is Decent Work without Discrimination and Gender-Based Violence. We mobilized in the International Women’s Day and International Labor Day actions.

2. Commemorating International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women,

Women Suing the State is a political theme to commemorate International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. We organize a series of activities both at the national and city levels. Some series of HAKTP [2] activities:

• We held a protest in the Nusantara Bonded Zone [3] on November 22. This was an action jointly organized between Mahardhika Women, the Federation of Indonesian Struggle Trade Unions and Pelangi Mahardhika, attended by about 100 women workers from garment factories, who voiced their rejection of poor working conditions and demanded that workers’ rights be fulfilled.

• Mahardhika women, who are members of the Indonesian Women’s Alliance (API), organized an action demanding that the government end all forms of discrimination and violence against women. This action was held on November 25 which was attended by 300 protesters who came from various organizations that are members of API.

• Still in the HAKTP series, Pelangi Mahardhika and Perempuan Mahardhika held a Community Discussion on Decent Work for LBQ Workers on December 12. This action was attended by 150 female workers who work in garment factories.

3. Organizing Women Workers and LBQ

The organization of women workers and LBQ is a routine program that aims to recruit and involve them in the struggle. The organizing activities we carry out include community discussions and meetings, joint sports and reading forums.

4. National Consolidation of Perempuan Mahardhika

The National Consolidation of Mahardhika Women is a meeting room for all members of the organization, to strengthen the ideology, politics and organization of Mahardhika Women. This forum is a forum for exchanging experiences, compiling a common struggle agenda, and formulating struggle strategies related to issues faced by women, especially issues of violence against women, labor, democracy and the environment. Through national consolidation, Mahardhika Women affirms their collective commitment to fight for women’s rights, decent work, gender equality, and the end of all forms of gender-based violence and discrimination. This consultation was attended by 50 members of organizations from 4 cities, namely: Jakarta, Sukabumi, Makassar and Samarinda.

We express our deepest gratitude, to ESSF and all individual donors, for the generous financial support that has been provided. This support is highly meaningful for the sustainability of our programs/activities and serves as an encouragement for us to continue striving for equality and the well-being of women workers. Your contribution of € 5,000 plays a crucial role in enabling us to provide advocacy , run community meetings and discussion, and consolidation.

Thanks to your commitment, we are able to make real progress in our work and we are optimistic about the positive changes that will continue to unfold in the months ahead. Your partnership not only sustains our work but also inspires us to keep striving for justice and equity.

We look forward to keeping you updated on our progress and to sharing the positive outcomes your contribution makes possible.

With gratitude,

Vivi Widyawati
Perempuan Mahardhika

This report only covers the activity for which ESSF funding was used last year. The Perempuan Mahardhika (Free Women) association undertook many other commitments during that year. Furthermore, in 2025, it played (and continues to play) a particularly dynamic role in major mobilizations against corruption and in defense of civil and popular rights. The support we can provide is more necessary than ever.[ESSF]

-----------------------