The Indonesian government is working on an ambitious plan to create 2.5 million jobs to counter the unemployment that a ban on maids’ employment in Saudi Arabia is likely to cause.
It has pledged to spend up to 1.4 trillion rupiah (S$202 million) to equip women with new skills in agriculture, craftsmanship and entrepreneurship, and also create employment opportunities for the millions who will be affected by the ban.
The move comes amid rising concerns over the potential impact of the ban, as Saudi Arabia is the second- most popular destination, after Malaysia, for low-skilled Indonesians seeking work abroad.
Every month, about 15,000 women head for the Middle Eastern state to work as maids. Last year, before the rules governing their deployment were tightened following stories of abuse by employers there, the number was 30,000.
Categories: Indonesia