Geneva, Switzerland — 24 December 2025. Indonesia reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening human rights protection within the rapidly expanding digital economy during the 14th United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights. Representing Indonesia, Mr. Makarim Wibisono, Expert Advisor to the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, delivered an address highlighting the transformative yet challenging nature of digital platforms across the Asia-Pacific region during ‘The Human Rights and Platform Work in the Asia-Pacific: Harnessing the Digital Shift’ session. He was accompanied by Mrs. Sofia Alatas, Director of Human Rights Instruments Development and Evaluation at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, who joined the delegation in demonstrating Indonesia’s growing leadership in the global human rights conversation. In his remarks, Mr. Wibisono emphasized that the accelerated growth of digital platforms is reshaping how people work, communicate, and engage economically. While these platforms have unlocked new opportunities for income generation and entrepreneurship, he noted that they have also introduced a range of human rights concerns, particularly regarding precarious employment conditions, limited social protection, and the increasing reliance on opaque algorithmic decision-making. In Indonesia—one of the fastest-growing digital economies in the Asia-Pacific—platform work has become a crucial livelihood for many, especially in logistics and delivery services. Yet the country continues to grapple with challenges such as ambiguous worker classification, unequal bargaining power, insufficient transparency, and digital exclusion. Makarim highlighted Indonesia’s ongoing efforts to integrate the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) into national governance, pointing to the 2017 National Strategy on Business and Human Rights and the PRISMA tool as foundational steps. He also noted that Indonesia is preparing a dedicated regulation on Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD), with FIHRRST actively contributing as part of the national task force. These developments align with broader initiatives to strengthen digital rights, improve policy coherence, and increase national capacities for addressing risks related to data protection, misinformation, cyber threats, and algorithmic accountability. He stressed that voluntary corporate initiatives alone are insufficient to drive systemic change. Indonesia, he explained, is pursuing a smart mix of regulation, clear guidance, and appropriate incentives to ensure that businesses—from major digital enterprises to MSMEs—uphold strong human rights standards. National indicators will play a vital role in assessing performance and ensuring that digital transformation progresses inclusively, without leaving workers behind. Makarim closed his address by underscoring the intersectional nature of business and human rights. Collaboration with international organizations, civil society, academia, and regional digital rights networks remains crucial as technological advancements continue to evolve. He emphasized that in today’s digital landscape, integrating human rights is not only a moral imperative but a strategic foundation for long-term resilience, accountability, and trust between businesses, workers, and communities.