Indonesia launches its Road Map for Care Economy for a more Gender Equal World of Work

JAKARTA (ILO News) – The Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child Protection, with support from the International Labour Organization (ILO) office for Indonesia and Timor Leste, is launching Indonesia’s Road Map on Care Economy 2025-2045 today (28/3) in Jakarta. The launch marks the commitment of Indonesia to accelerate the transformation of its care economy, build a more gender equal world of work and increase women’s labour force participation rate as part of achieving the Indonesian Golden Vision 2045.

The launch of the Road Map on Care Economy is the beginning step for all of us to realize a transformative, fair and equal world of work. No one should be left behind in realizing the Golden Indonesia and we should work together to ensure the implementation of the work plans laid out by the Road Map to bring justice for all, particularly women."

Bintang Puspayoga, Minister of Women Empowerment and Child Protection

Latest research of the ILO on care economy in Indonesia has found that investing in universal childcare and long-term care services in the country will generate almost 10.4 million jobs by 2035, of which almost 4.3 million correspond to direct jobs in childcare, almost 4.3 million direct jobs in long-term care and 1.7 million indirect jobs in non-care sectors.

The official launch is marked by the handing over of the Care Economy’s Road Map from the Minister of Women Empowerment and Child Protection, Bintang Puspayoga to the representatives of relevant ministries and institutions such as the Ministry of National Planning Development, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology, the Indonesian Employers’ Association (Apindo), the trade union confederation the Early Childhood Educators Association (Himpaudi), witnessed by the ILO Country Director for Indonesia, Simrin Singh.

The Road Map covers seven priorities related to various important issues on care work: 1. Developing accessible, quality childcare services; 2. Strengthening elderly and long-term care services; 3. Improving inclusive, integrated care services for peoples with disabilities, HIV, special needs and other vulnerable groups; 4. Enhancing greater access to maternity leave; 5. Increasing the involvement of men, including paternity leave; 6. Recognizing decent work for care workers; and 7. Implementing social protection for those workers in the care economy.

The ILO will continue assisting Indonesia in its greater investment on care economy policies and transformation that guarantee maternity protection, parental leave, early childhood education and care as well as long-term care services."

Simrin Singh, Director of the ILO Office for Indonesia and Timor-Leste

In line with the Long-Term National Development Plan (RPJPN) 2025-2045, these priorities are reflected in the 17 Indonesian Golden Goals, particularly to support the achievement of the Golden Indonesia No. 3 on Adaptive Social Protection, No. 4 on Science, Innovation and Economic Productivity and No. 14 on Quality Family, Gender Equality and Inclusive Society. Some strategic care economy’s priorities have also been incorporated into the Mid-Term National Development Plan (RPJMN) for 2025-2029. The inclusion of the Road Map into both Government’s mid-term and long-term development plans demonstrate a recognition of the value of care work and a commitment for greater investment on care economy as a driver for Indonesia’s economic growth and social well-being.

“The launch of the Road Map on Care Economy is the beginning step for all of us to realize a transformative, fair and equal world of work. No one should be left behind in realizing the Golden Indonesia and we should work together to ensure the implementation of the work plans laid out by the Road Map to bring justice for all, particularly women,” stated Bintang Puspayoga, Minister of Women Empowerment and Child Protection in her keynote remark.

Simrin Singh, Director of the ILO Office for Indonesia and Timor-Leste, congratulated Indonesia for the development of the Road Map on the Care Economy as part of the national strategy and programme. “The need for workers in the care sector and potential for decent job creation is immense. The ILO applauds Indonesia’s transformative, progressive initiative through this Road Map to create a more gender equal world of work. Roadmap recognizes the the value of women’s labour force participation, and the vital role the care economy plays to grow the national economy. The ILO will continue assisting Indonesia in its greater investment on care economy policies and transformation that guarantee maternity protection, parental leave, early childhood education and care as well as long-term care services,” she said.

The development of the Road Map has been effectively started after the Indonesian Presidency of G20 in November 2022 through a series of inter-ministerial and inter-sectoral consultative meetings, social dialogue and advocacy forums and a public survey involving relevant stakeholders, including line ministries and institutions, private sector, trade unions, academia, civil society organizations for people with disabilities, people with HIV and other vulnerable groups. The collaborative commitment of line ministries and regional as well as village governments have also included in the framework of the five-year working plan for 20 years from 2025 to 2045 for each priority of the Road Map.

For further information, please contact:

Early Dewi Nuriana
ILO’s Programme Coordinator for Care Work
Email: nuriana@ilo.org

Gita Lingga
ILO’s Communications Officer
Email: gita@ilo.org