Indonesia adopts revised village law, extending social security to village leaders and officials

Jakarta. President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo officially signed Law Number 3 of 2024 concerning Villages into law. Among several policies outlined in the legislation, a key provision established by the government is the provision of social security protection to village heads, village officials and members of the Village Advisory Council (VBPC).

In response to this law, the Directorate General of Village Governance of the Ministry of Interior, together with the Workers' Social Security Agency (BPJS Ketenagakerjaan), organized a dissemination session for all governments provincial and district/city meetings, held on Thursday in Jakarta. .

The Interior Minister, represented by Acting Secretary-General Tomsi Tohir, said the initiative aligns with President Joko Widodo's vision to develop Indonesia from its peripheries, including strengthening villages across the country.

The central role of villages in supporting national economic growth has prompted the government to take concrete steps to improve the welfare of all workers, especially those in rural areas. He highlighted the significant benefits of social security programs and urged all local authorities present to provide social security protection to all officials and residents in accordance with the mandate stipulated in the law.

“I sincerely hope to share prosperity with our friends in the villages, including the village authorities and residents,” he said.

“It is indeed the responsibility of the government to continually strive to improve the well-being of its people through existing social protection measures,” he added.

During discussions held at the event, the Ministry's Director General of Village Governance, La Ode Ahmad P. Bolombo, highlighted the development of government regulations and other operational instruments to ensure implementation rapid implementation of this social security program for workers.

“One of our main goals in making these reviews is to ensure that this protection reaches every village,” he stressed.

In the same vein, Director of Participant Affairs of BPJS Ketenagakerjaan, Zainudin, expressed his appreciation for the government's commitment to protecting the welfare of rural workers. Zainudin added that there are two presidential instructions (Inpres) closely related to the protection of social security, namely Inpres number 2 of 2021 and Inpres number 4 of 2022 regarding the acceleration of the eradication of social security. extreme poverty.

“We greatly appreciate the emphasis placed on the importance of worker welfare in this new Villages Act. This program is crucial as it is a constitutional mandate and a strategic national program to support the national resilience,” Zainudin explained.

Furthermore, Zainudin mentioned that social protection of workers can serve as a tool to prevent and reduce poverty and ensure the continuity of education for future generations through scholarships.

According to the data, there are currently 1.7 million BPJS Ketenagakerjaan participants for the non-civil servant sector at the village and district level, and 547,000 vulnerable workers in the villages. Meanwhile, looking at the national labor structure, 61.47 million informal workers are employed in villages, indicating a vast potential workforce that needs protection under the BPJS Ketenagakerjaan .

Zainudin added that BPJS Ketenagakerjaan is currently focusing on improving social security protection through collaboration with the Ministry of Interior for the protection of village governance. Furthermore, BPJS Ketenagakerjaan, together with other ministries/agencies, continues to advocate for the protection of workers within market ecosystems, including modern and traditional markets, e-commerce and small and medium-sized businesses ecosystems. medium-sized businesses, and ecosystems of vulnerable workers such as informal workers, the working poor, and those who cannot afford it.

In terms of benefits, throughout 2023, BPJS Ketenagakerjaan paid 1.91 million claims for all village workers, with total benefits amounting to Rp. 19.06 trillion. Zainudin said that BPJS Ketenagakerjaan is ready to work in synergy with all local governments to ensure prosperous and worry-free workers.

“With the promulgation of this new village law, let us all work together to implement this excellent program in the most remote villages. One of the functions of social security is to elevate the dignity and well-being of workers and of their families,” Zainudin concluded.

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