A/HRC/4/24/Add.3 page 9 from leaving the place of employment unaccompanied. Many female domestic workers see no way out of such abusive situations, and their isolation and desperation may be contributing to the high number of suicides. 25. Since they are desperate to earn a much-needed income, one of the main fears expressed by the domestic workers interviewed was to be sent back to Indonesia by their employers, even where they are being exploited. Leaving or losing one’s job may mean immediate repatriation because work permits are tied to the individual employer and, transferring employment is difficult. 26. Migrant workers who escape from their employers without valid identification documents face the risk of arrest, immigration detention and, in some receiving countries, corporal punishment. Even in cases where the abuse is reported to police, migrant workers will often drop criminal charges against their employer and settle for less than full payment of their salary because it takes months or years for most criminal cases to be concluded. Return process 27. Institutional exploitation of returning migrants also takes place at points of entry/return to Indonesia: at borders, ports and airports. Migrants, mostly women, have to pay separate fees at various points during customs and immigration clearance for “services” which they are not free to refuse, e.g. transportation to local villages is prearranged at more than double the usual exchange rate. There is no legal basis for demanding such sums from returnees. 28. Recently, the Government of Indonesia and NGO representatives have attempted to establish monitoring systems to screen returning migrant workers, to inform them of their rights, and to identify those needing medical attention. The impact of Indonesia’s efforts to meet its obligations and to provide protection to migrants has been limited, in part because many recruitment agencies, employers and officials perceive the protection of migrants’ rights as being against their own personal interests. IV. GENERAL PROTECTION FRAMEWORK A. Introductory remarks 29. The devastating experiences reported by migrant domestic workers interviewed by the Special Rapporteur reinforce the need for the Government of Indonesia and civil society to continue to prioritize the protection of migrants’ rights and freedoms, especially given the particular vulnerability of female domestic workers. Indonesia has a duty to accurately inform domestic workers of what to expect abroad. 30. Some 4 million Indonesians now work abroad,12 many of them from very poor areas, and they are often forced to pay substantial sums to reach their destinations. Most Indonesian migrants abroad send remittances home which are critical to the country’s economy. 12 See http://ipsnews.net/migration/stories/entrepreneur.html.