Promoting Ethical Employment and Human Dignity through Labour Protection and Anti-Exploitation Frameworks

Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta recognises the importance of human dignity, ethical employment, and the protection of fundamental human rights in establishing a fair and responsible university environment. Forced labour, modern slavery, human trafficking, and exploitative child labour represent serious violations of human rights and are incompatible with the principles of decent work and sustainable development.

As a state Islamic university, UIN Jakarta operates within Indonesia's national legal framework governing employment practices, human rights, and protection against exploitation. During 2024–2025, the University maintained institutional employee ethics regulations, participated in initiatives promoting the protection of women and children, and contributed to academic research examining human trafficking and child exploitation. These measures provide an important foundation for promoting ethical employment and understanding the risks of exploitation, although further documentation is required to establish a comprehensive University-level policy explicitly prohibiting all forms of modern slavery.

1. National Commitment to the Abolition of Forced Labour

Indonesia has established a national legal commitment to eliminating forced labour through its ratification of international labour conventions. Law Number 19 of 1999 ratified the International Labour Organization's Convention Number 105 concerning the Abolition of Forced Labour.

The convention addresses the elimination of forced or compulsory labour used for coercive purposes, including political coercion, economic mobilisation, labour discipline, punishment for participating in strikes, and discrimination. Indonesia has also ratified ILO Convention Number 29 concerning Forced Labour. Together, these conventions establish international obligations relevant to the protection of workers against coercive employment practices.

For UIN Jakarta, this framework provides a national legal context within which employment practices must respect applicable labour protections and fundamental human rights. The University's academic and administrative employment arrangements should therefore be assessed consistently with relevant national legislation and the principles of voluntary and lawful employment. However, ratification of international conventions by Indonesia does not itself demonstrate that UIN Jakarta has adopted a separate institutional anti-forced-labour policy.

2. Legal Protection against Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery

Another important legal foundation is Law Number 21 of 2007 concerning the Eradication of the Criminal Act of Trafficking in Persons. The legislation establishes criminal provisions concerning trafficking in persons and recognises the risks of exploitation associated with recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring, and receipt of individuals through unlawful means.

Article 1 defines exploitation to include forced labour or services, slavery, practices similar to slavery, oppression, extortion, and other forms of unlawful exploitation.

Article 2 establishes criminal provisions concerning trafficking involving recruitment or other relevant acts carried out through coercion, deception, abuse of vulnerability, or similar means for the purpose of exploitation.

These provisions demonstrate Indonesia's legal commitment to addressing human trafficking and forms of exploitation associated with modern slavery. The framework is relevant to employment governance because exploitative recruitment practices, coercion, and abuse of vulnerable individuals can occur within working relationships. For UIN Jakarta, the legislation provides an applicable national legal foundation for understanding the importance of preventing exploitative employment practices. Nevertheless, the reviewed evidence does not establish that the University implemented a dedicated human trafficking prevention policy covering its employees, recruitment processes, and external employment arrangements during 2024–2025.

3. Protecting Children from Labour Exploitation

Child labour protection is another essential component of responsible employment practices. Indonesia's Law Number 13 of 2003 concerning Manpower, as amended, establishes provisions governing the employment of children.

Article 68 establishes the general prohibition on employers employing children, subject to the specific exceptions and conditions provided elsewhere in the legislation.

Article 69 regulates limited forms of light work for children aged 13 to 15 under prescribed protective conditions.

Article 74 prohibits employing or involving children in the worst forms of child labour, including slavery-like practices, sexual exploitation, illicit activities, and hazardous work.

Indonesia has also ratified ILO Convention Number 138 concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment through Law Number 20 of 1999 and ILO Convention Number 182 concerning the Worst Forms of Child Labour through Law Number 1 of 2000. These laws establish national standards aimed at protecting children from exploitation and work that threatens their health, safety, education, and development. For a higher education institution, these standards are relevant to ethical employment administration and the responsible treatment of children in activities involving institutional operations and external service providers. However, the reviewed evidence does not establish a specific UIN Jakarta policy prohibiting exploitative child labour in university operations or supply chains.

4. Maintaining Institutional Standards of Employee Ethics and Human Dignity

At the institutional level, UIN Jakarta maintains Rector's Decree Number 737 of 2021 concerning the Employee Code of Ethics. The regulation establishes professional rights, responsibilities, and conduct standards for University employees. The decree covers both civil servant and non-civil servant employees within its defined scope.

Article 4, Paragraph 1 recognises employee rights relating to remuneration, professional development, legal assistance, welfare facilities, and participation in professional organisations.

Article 4, Paragraph 2 requires employees to uphold legal obligations, human values, honesty, professional responsibility, and respect for others.

The regulation therefore provides an institutional foundation for ethical professional conduct and the recognition of employee rights. It also establishes procedures for examining alleged employee ethics violations through formal institutional mechanisms. These provisions are relevant to the wider objective of promoting respectful and lawful employment practices. Nevertheless, the Employee Code of Ethics does not explicitly establish a comprehensive prohibition of forced labour, modern slavery, human trafficking, or exploitative child labour. It should therefore be regarded as supporting evidence of professional ethics and employee rights rather than direct evidence of a dedicated modern slavery policy.

5. Strengthening Child Protection through the Women- and Child-Friendly Campus Initiative

During the reporting period, UIN Jakarta also demonstrated institutional attention to the protection and well-being of women and children. On 17 December 2024, the University collaborated with Indonesia's Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection to declare its commitment to developing a women- and child-friendly campus. The declaration was organised through the University's Center for Gender and Child Studies (PSGA).

The event involved University leadership, representatives of the Ministry, and organisations concerned with women's and children's rights. The declaration highlighted three principal institutional commitments: childcare facilities, mechanisms for handling violence, and gender education. These initiatives reflect the University's broader attention to safe environments, family welfare, and the protection of vulnerable members of the academic community. They contribute to the development of an institutional culture that recognises human dignity and the importance of protecting children. However, the declaration did not specifically establish employment rules prohibiting child labour or modern slavery.

Accordingly, it serves as complementary evidence of the University's child protection commitments rather than direct proof of compliance with the employment policy requirements of Indicator 8.2.4.

6. Contributing to Research on Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation

UIN Jakarta also contributes to public understanding of exploitation through academic research. In 2024, research conducted within the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences examined cooperation between Indonesia and the International Organization for Migration in preventing human trafficking.

The research explored the role of international cooperation and human security in responding to trafficking risks. In January 2025, research conducted at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences examined the exploitation of children involved in traditional street performance activities. The study analysed the social and economic circumstances associated with children's involvement in work and the challenges of protecting vulnerable children.

Another study, completed in June 2025 through the Faculty of Sharia and Law, examined the role of Indonesia's migrant worker protection agency in preventing and responding to human trafficking involving Indonesian migrant workers. These academic contributions demonstrate the University's engagement with issues concerning exploitation, vulnerable workers, and child protection.

Such research can contribute to evidence-based understanding of human rights challenges and encourage wider discussion of prevention and protection. However, academic research concerning human trafficking or child labour does not establish that the University itself has implemented a policy prohibiting these practices within its employment relationships.

7. Strengthening Institutional Employment Protection

The national legal framework and University-level ethics regulations provide a foundation for further strengthening employment protection at UIN Jakarta. A comprehensive institutional commitment against modern slavery would require an explicit policy addressing forced labour, slavery-like practices, human trafficking, and exploitative child labour. Such a policy would need to clarify its applicability to different categories of University personnel and, where appropriate, external workers and service providers.

Supporting arrangements could include age verification during recruitment, voluntary employment procedures, restrictions on exploitative recruitment practices, and mechanisms for reporting suspected labour exploitation. Regular review and documentation of employment practices would also help demonstrate institutional accountability. These measures represent potential areas for strengthening governance. Their implementation during 2024–2025 has not been established by the available evidence.

8. Contribution to SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta operates within Indonesia's national legal framework addressing forced labour, human trafficking, slavery-like practices, and exploitative child labour. The University also maintains written employee ethics regulations and has demonstrated engagement with child protection and human rights issues through institutional initiatives and academic research.

The applicable national legislation provides important legal foundations, while the University's Employee Code of Ethics promotes professional responsibility, respect for human dignity, and employee rights. During 2024–2025, the University's women- and child-friendly campus declaration and relevant academic research further demonstrated institutional engagement with human rights and protection issues. Together, these measures establish a legal, ethical, and educational foundation relevant to promoting decent work and preventing exploitation.

However, the available documentation does not yet demonstrate an explicit University-wide policy commitment prohibiting all four practices identified under THE Impact Rankings Indicator 8.2.4. Further institutional policy documentation and implementation evidence would therefore be required to demonstrate full compliance with this indicator.

Source :
https://jdih.kemnaker.go.id/peraturan/detail/35/undang-undang-nomor-19-tahun-1999 
https://peraturan.go.id/files/uu21-2007.pdf 
https://jdih.kemnaker.go.id/peraturan/detail/27/undang-undang-nomor-13-tahun-2003 
https://asset.uinjkt.ac.id/uploads/TkyZgnBj/2025/10/737-pedoman-kode-etik-pegawai.pdf 
https://uinjkt.ac.id/index.php/id/sambut-hari-ibu-uin-jakarta-bersama-kemenpppa-ri-deklarasikan-kampus-ramah-perempuan-dan-anak