Page 13 - Mainstreamer Volume 1, Issue 4, November 2023

MAKING IT WORK
Concern for Disability Groups in Indonesia

Robi
Nurhadi

n our society, some people experience also committed to realising equality of rights for
limited abilities that humans can generally disabled groups, who are not only subjects but
Ido. This phenomenon is known by several also play an active role in national development.
terms, such as “difabel”, “disabilitas”, “ketunaan”, This effort is accomplished by expanding social
“ketunadayaan”, “keterbatasan diri”, disability protection and empowerment for disabled groups.
and “orang kurang upaya”/OKU (Malaysian). The It also strengthens the existence of disability
limitations may be physical, cognitive, mental, groups in the form of developing their potential
sensory, emotional, developmental or some so that they can become empowered, tough and
combination thereof. independent people with disabilities.
There is a difference between “disabilitas” and
“difabel”. Naomy Ayu Nugraheni (2023) stated that
people who have “disabilitas” are people who have “
limited ability to adapt to life in the environment The government’s concern for
where they live. Meanwhile, people with “difabel” disability groups not only occurs
(different abilities) are people whose ability to
carry out life activities differs from the general life in the central government but has
activities. The key words are “disabilitas”, which also been carried out by regional
is related to the ability to adapt to activities, governments throughout Indonesia
and “difabel”, which refers to differences in the
individual’s activities with the activities of people with related Regional Regulations
in general. (PERDA).”
The government and society have been
concerned about the disability groups in Indonesia In previous years, the government’s concern for
for a long time. This concern has undergone a disability groups has been criticised by the public.
transformation over time. The SMERU Research Institute’s study (Hastuti,
2020) on the condition of disability groups in the
three years after the ratification of the Convention
Government Concerns on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2011
The Coordinating Ministry for Human Development (becoming Law No. 19 of 2011) and Law No.
and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia (Kemenko 8 of 2016 concerning Persons with Disabilities
PMK, 2023) stated that the number of people showed the obstacles faced by the government
with disabilities in Indonesia in 2023 will reach in implementing more inclusive development for
22.97 million or around 8.5% of Indonesia’s disabled groups. These obstacles are found at
population. They experience various socio- various levels, from individuals to society, including
economic risks, limited access to information, formal and informal institutions.
employment, education, health and others. In 2006, Indonesia signed the Convention on
Therefore, the government is intervening to ensure the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which
that people with disabilities are not left behind safeguards equal rights and respect for disabled
in development. The Indonesian government is groups (Nugroho, 2014). Policies regarding people

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