Erlinda (Lindu) belongs to the Kadazan-Dusun Indigenous community in Sabah, Malaysia and was active in promoting and defending the rights of Indigenous peoples when she participated in DTP’s 25th Annual Regional Human Rights and Peoples’ Diplomacy Training Program (2015) in Sri Lanka.
“The training taught us about the UN framework and how to use UN Special Procedures. The dam was detrimental to the well-being, identity, culture and livelihoods of the local community. The DTP training is also beneficial because of the networking opportunity. I was able to share about the campaign against the dam and seek solidarity. I met new people and regional human rights advocates and remained connected.”
After moving to Kuala Lumpur as a student Lindu began to work with different unions nationally and internationally like MTUC, Bank Employee Union Malaysia (NUBE) and International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). She began to focus her advocacy on the rights of migrant workers in Malaysia through their MTUC’s Migrant Resource Centre.
Lindu now works with the International Domestic Workers Federation (IDWF) – across Asia. IDWF is a global union of 560,000 domestic workers. She is developing and facilitating IDWF’s first online course with a critical focus on educating domestic workers in Asia about tackling gender-based violence.
In 2017, Lindu joined the DTP/MFA Malaysia Migrant Workers’ Rights Capacity Building Program that brought together different organisations and representatives of migrant communities.
Lindu believes work for the migrant workers is essential:
“There is not enough protection for the migrant workers in Malaysia. Many migrant workers who work as domestic workers face sexual harassment and gender-based violence. They don’t know where to go for protection and support. These stories need to be told.”
Lindu has a high opinion of DTP’s training, deeply valuing the networking DTP offers:
“We share resources and continue to update each other about respective campaigns via the WhatsApp group we established in the program.”
Lindu wants to continue working in the field of online education for the workers as she believes knowledge has the power to change the world for the better.
DTP acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which we work, the Bedegal people of the Eora Nation. We recognise their lands were never ceded, and we acknowledge their struggles for recognition and rights and pay our respects to the Elders – past, present – and the youth who are working towards a brighter tomorrow. This continent always was and always will be Aboriginal land.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples should be aware that this website contains images or names of people who have passed away.
We are a proud partner of UNSW Law & Justice
DTP acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which we work, the Bedegal people of the Eora Nation. We recognise their lands were never ceded, and we acknowledge their struggles for recognition and rights and pay our respects to the Elders – past, present – and the youth who are working towards a brighter tomorrow. This continent always was and always will be Aboriginal land.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples should be aware that this website contains images or names of people who have passed away.
We are a proud partner of UNSW Law & Justice
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