Page 10 - Mainstreamer Volume 1 Issue 2 Feb 2023

CRITICAL THOUGHT
Autism in ASEAN: Need for Systematized Record and Data Exchange

Alias
Abd Aziz

utism spectrum disorder (ASD) or simply autistic individuals. Data analysis can improve
autism refers to a range of conditions autism-related policies and allow governments to
Acharacterized by difficulty with social skills, allocate resources more effectively and efficiently
repetitive actions, and defects in speech and non- to improve their well-being.
verbal communication. It is a neurological disorder
that impairs a person’s cognition, perception, Furthermore, a systematic and systematized
attention, social skills, and behavior. According to record is required to foster collaboration among
the World Health Organization (WHO), one out of the government and stakeholders to manage
every 100 children worldwide has autism. Based matters pertaining to people with autism in this
on estimates, autism affects around 1% of the region. The lack of data on people with autism has
global population. made it difficult for governments and stakeholders
to develop evidence-based policies and programs,
In 2018, the Asia-Pacific Development Centre on as called for in the Convention on the Rights
Disability Foundation published a report estimating of Persons with Disabilities. No standardized
that 6 million people in Southeast Asia had autism. approach is used to record the number of
However, that figure cannot be validated because individuals with autism in ASEAN countries. Each
the majority of Association of Southeast Asian country has its own method of recording data on
Nations (ASEAN) countries are unable to provide autistic individuals. But, to get a sense of the real
complete data on persons with autism. This is number, this article has extracted data from a
owing to difficulties in collecting information report published by the Asia-Pacific Development
and a lack of awareness, especially in many rural Center on Disability (APCD).
communities. Therefore, determining the actual
number of individuals with autism in ASEAN is According to that report, the number of
difficult. Nonetheless, the number of individuals persons with autism is increasing across all ASEAN
living with autism in ASEAN may be much higher. countries. This is mostly likely due to increased
This is especially true in rural areas, where autism awareness and testing rather than a higher
is still stigmatized and ignorance about the prevalence of autism. Over the years, government
condition persists. Furthermore, autism is difficult and non-government agencies have implemented
to identify and is classified under categories of programs about autism, helping to raise autism
hidden disability. awareness in society. Mass media, in particular,
has played a key role in distributing information
Having a comprehensive record of statistics on and breaking down long-held stereotypes. Many
people with autism is critical for the government organizations have been founded across ASEAN
and stakeholders to manage the affairs of this countries in order to raise awareness and support
group. The reliability of data and statistics is for autism programs.
essential for formulating policies and monitoring
the progress of implementing existing measures in The table below shows the statistics on the
dealing with autistic people. To implement better number of registered autistic individuals in ASEAN
policies, a government requires more detailed countries. They are taken from the ‘Autism at
information from every sector that engages with a Glance in ASEAN Part I’ section of a report

9 Vol. 01, Issue 2 | February 2023