Social Security Program in Social Engineering Frame to Alleviate the Poverty of Home-Based Women Workers

Abstract

Social security programs in present-time Indonesia in reality only affect workers of the formal sector, while workers of the informal sector—including home-based workers—whose number is larger do not receive adequate assistance. Home-based workers largely consist of women who work with standard wages which are far below the minimum wages, without occupational health and safety protection, and without social security for workers. This condition suggests that this group is still struggling with structural poverty due to the wrong policies made by state administrators. Theoretical study based on progressive law: in the sociological discourse based on the reality in the society, positivistic law or the state does not hold the monopoly. The society or particular communities may create their own norms, either to fill a legal vacuum or to reduce it. Factually, any legal issue cannot be left to formalistic law. The public also needs to fulfill and refine the law. This postulate is manifested in the lives of vulnerable home-based workers “the home-based women workers” in the instance of being neglected and do not receive social security program/normative rights. This fact proves that it is not enough to rely on formal-legal regulations to change the society. Furthermore, it would take a catalyst role for the Civil Society Institute Network (MWPRI) to strengthen the organization of “home-based women workers” in order to have a high bargaining power, to gain access to the public sphere in order to obtain the basic workers rights, including social security.

Key words : social security, law as a tool of social engineering, home-based women workers, public participation.