JAKARTA - Indonesia’s Social Affairs Ministry says the government fully covers rehabilitation and recovery services for human trafficking survivors.
Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf said on July 27 that the ministry’s assistance for trafficking survivors is delivered in three stages: psychosocial rehabilitation, economic empowerment and social reintegration.
Antara, Indonesia’s state-owned news agency, quoted Yusuf as saying, “The entire recovery and rehabilitation process for human trafficking survivors is fully funded by the government.”
Psychosocial rehabilitation is intended to restore survivors’ physical and mental well-being before they move toward economic support and reintegration.
Yusuf said the initial rehabilitation period lasts three months and can be extended according to individual needs for up to two years. Survivors considered ready to live independently may then be reunited with family or supported through social reintegration.
Later ministry figures reported by ANTARA said 3,212 trafficking victims received social rehabilitation from 2024 through July 2026.
Yusuf also said the ministry has one Rumah Perlindungan dan Trauma Center, or protection and trauma centre, and 32 Sentra and Sentra Terpadu facilities across Indonesia.
The facilities provide rehabilitation and empowerment services and also assist some Indonesian migrant workers facing problems.
The announcement came as the ministry signed a memorandum of understanding with Indonesia’s National Anti-Human Trafficking Network (Jarnas Anti TPPO) in Jakarta. The agreement is intended to improve coordination on protection, rehabilitation and empowerment and to make greater use of ministry facilities in assisting trafficking survivors.
Indonesia’s 2007 anti-trafficking law gives trafficking victims who suffer physical or psychological harm the right to government-provided health rehabilitation, social rehabilitation, return assistance and social reintegration.
Applications may be made by victims or specified representatives after a trafficking case has been reported to police and are submitted through the minister or relevant health and social-service agencies.
The legal framework also requires central and local governments to allocate funding for trafficking prevention and handling.
A 2008 regulation on integrated services requires centres assisting trafficking witnesses and victims to provide services promptly, safely and free of charge, including health and social rehabilitation, return, reintegration and legal assistance.
Yusuf said he hoped the ministry’s protection and trauma centre and 32 Sentra and Sentra Terpadu facilities would be used under the agreement with Jarnas Anti TPPO to provide services for trafficking victims across Indonesia.