Wahyu Susilo

Defender of Migrant Workers' Rights and Anti-Poverty Campaigner - standing up for human rights

Cited as a hero by the US State Department in its 2007 Trafficking in Persons report, Wahyu Susilo has been campaigning for the protection of migrant workers' rights since 1996. Susilo grew up in poverty, and represents 2.5 million poor Indonesians who work as domestic servants and laborers in Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Japan, Syria, Kuwait, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Susilo's efforts have raised international consciousness on human trafficking and led to a comprehensive new law in 2007. He formed the Consortium of Indonesian Migrant Workers Advocacy, and now dedicates his time to the non-governmental organization Migrant CARE. The organization has documented the cases of thousands of Indonesian migrant workers who have disappeared overseas, and lobbies the Indonesian government for greater protection. Susilo is also an anti-poverty campaigner in INFID (International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development), helping mobilize 600,000 people in October 2007.

Standing up for the principles of the Universal Declaration
Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms that Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family. Article 22 guarantees the right to social security. Article 23 affirms the right to work, as well as to "equal pay for equal work" and "just and favourable remuneration."

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