Ensuring decent work for older people engaged in nature-based solutions in Indonesia

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What are nature-based solutions? 

In rural areas of developing countries like Indonesia, jobs connected to nature, especially in farming and forestry, can help the environment and generate employment in the informal sector. These jobs are vital for protecting nature and improving people’s lives.  

Nature-based solutions involve creating jobs and improving human wellbeing while also conserving and restoring ecosystems. Activities like restoring water catchments and reforestation can boost agricultural productivity, reduce soil erosion, and help alleviate rural poverty. 

However, these positions are often unpaid or poorly paid and are not protected by labour laws. Additionally, they are very often not included in social protection schemes, leaving workers at risk of poverty and ill-health. 

What is decent work?

Decent work sums up the aspirations of people in their working lives. It involves opportunities for work that is productive and delivers a fair income, security in the workplace and social protection for all, better prospects for personal development and social integration, freedom for people to express their concerns, organise and participate in the decisions that affect their lives and equality of opportunity and treatment for all women and men.

Enhancing decent work among older people engaged in nature-based solutions in Indonesia

In rural areas of low- and middle-income countries like Indonesia, jobs related to nature-based solutions (NbS) – especially in agriculture and forestry – play an important role in supporting the green economy.

These jobs not only help the environment but also create employment opportunities, particularly in the informal sector. NbS focus on both improving human well-being and protecting and restoring ecosystems.

However, despite Indonesia’s progress over the last decade, many challenges remain.

Read the Bahasa version of our report here.

Read the report here (English version).

Older people in the Indonesian workforce 

According to data from Indonesia’s 2023 National Labour Force Survey, approximately 53.93 per cent of older people (aged 60 and above) continue to work. They often face long hours and tough conditions such as physical and economic challenges.  

To understand their challenges, HelpAge and SurveyMeter conducted a study on older people working in nature-based jobs. 

 

Our research highlighted some interesting findings. 

  1. Voluntary and seasonal work – The study found that most of these jobs are done voluntarily, viewed as community service, or are temporary and seasonal. These positions mainly rely on informal manual labour in agriculture and forestry and are usually unpaid or very low paid. 
  2. Facing discrimination and lack of opportunities – Despite their experience and ideas, older workers often have no chance to improve their skills and are seen as less capable and lacking education. They face stigma and discrimination in accessing better work opportunities and stigma, restricting them to lower-paying, physically demanding jobs. 
  3. Health and social protection challenges – Older workers in nature-based jobs lack proper social protection and health insurance. Due to their inability to access healthcare, some older people are either unable to receive medical treatment at all or have no choice but to discontinue their treatment.  

Recommendations to ensure fair and decent work for older people in nature-based jobs 

  • Fair pay: Introduce a minimum wage for these jobs. 
  • Community support: Develop cooperatives to help manage and improve job standards. 
  • Inclusive programmes: Make existing social protection programmes, like cash transfers and food subsidies, more inclusive. 
  • Healthcare access: Ensure universal health coverage for older people. 
  • Safety and insurance: Allocate village funds for employment-related insurance. 
  • Budgeting for needs: Make village budgets sensitive to the needs of older workers. 
  • Skill development: Enforce policies to develop the skills of older workers. 
  • Anti-discrimination campaigns: Support campaigns against age discrimination. 
  • Intergenerational collaboration: Strengthen collaboration between different age groups in nature-based jobs. 
  • Inclusive decision-making: Ensure older workers have a say in decision-making processes. 

By taking these steps, we can improve the lives of older workers in nature-based jobs and help them continue to contribute to their communities and the environment.