The International Labour Organization (ILO) is supporting joint labor inspections in Indonesia's fisheries sector to prevent forced labor at sea. This initiative follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Manpower and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. The ILO aims to assist the Indonesian government and social partners in implementing and disseminating guidelines for labor inspections in fishing ports across the country. These guidelines will help ensure more effective and coordinated inspections on fishing vessels, with a focus on protecting the rights of workers and preventing forced labor.
As part of the pilot program, the Ministry of Manpower and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, with support from the ILO, conducted joint labor inspections at the Samudera Belawan Fisheries Port in Medan, North Sumatra. The inspections involved interviewing captains and fishermen, examining working conditions and living arrangements, and assessing occupational safety and health measures. The findings from these pilot inspections will be used to further refine the guidelines for labor inspections on fishing vessels. The ILO's 8.7 Accelerator Lab program in Indonesia is dedicated to eradicating forced labor and child labor, and it works towards improving working conditions and preventing forced labor in the fisheries sector through the establishment of joint labor inspection systems and enhanced coordination between labor inspectors and the fisheries industry.
