UNPAK - Every December 3rd the world commemorates international disability day. In Indonesia, the figure of Angkie Yudistia who was appointed as the Special Staff of the President gave hope to eliminate the stigma of persons with disabilities.

The voice about equalizing the role of persons with disabilities in this country needs to be echoed. This is in line with the spirit of Pancasila values, especially fair and civilized humanity and social justice for all Indonesian people.

Indonesia still needs a hard struggle to achieve equality and justice for people with disabilities. The community also needs to be continually educated to be sensitive and concerned about people with disabilities.

According to Law No. 8 of 2016 concerning Persons with Disabilities, persons with disabilities are any person who experiences physical, intellectual, mental and or sensory limitations for a long period of time who interact with the environment can experience obstacles and difficulties to participate fully and effectively with other citizens based on equal rights.

The election of Angkie Yudistia as special staff to deal with persons with disabilities and the Presidential Spokesperson in the social field opened new hopes for people with disabilities in Indonesia to achieve the vision of Indonesia inclusion, superior disability, as set out in the theme of World Disability Day 2019.

President Jokowi's step to appoint Angkie is very much appreciated. This is the government's new step in achieving the vision of superior human resources and carrying out the mandate of the Law above.

Among countries in Asia, Japan is a country that is exemplary in terms of the government's attention to people with disabilities.

According to the story of a person with disability Christie Damayanti, Japan is the only country that is 100 percent disabled.

Compared to Japan, Indonesian homework related to fulfilling the rights of persons with disabilities is still very much.

In our families and communities, people with disabilities are still often humiliated. There are still many families and communities that regard disability as a disgrace, a curse, and a shame.

Not a few families who choose not open about family members who have disabilities.

There are also community groups who still think that people with disabilities are the same as sick people who are helpless so that they do not need to be given education and employment.

Eliminates stigma

Eliminating the stigma of persons with disabilities is the first thing that must be done to realize inclusive development.

The government is expected to provide infrastructure that enables people with disabilities to participate in nation building.

As a multi-sector issue, the government is expected to involve various aspects in handling both economic, health, education, infrastructure, transportation, communication, politics and culture.

In the Law on Persons with Disabilities, the government recognizes the rights of persons with disabilities and requires the government to provide them with equal treatment with non-disabled people.

Many organizations working on disability issues in Indonesia praised the new regulation for introducing a more equitable approach to persons with disabilities.

Attention to persons with disabilities can also be seen from the successful implementation of the 2018 ASEAN Games (PRG) which is part of fulfilling the rights of persons with disabilities to participate in sports.

Great ability

Persons with disabilities have great abilities and are equivalent to non-disabled. We know Helen Keller, Steve Jobs, Stephen Hawking, Stevie Wonder, Ludwid van Bethoven, Agkie Yudistia, Nina Gusmita, M. Ade Irawan, and Ramona Purba.

The same rights will foster talent, abilities, and social life, especially for children with disabilities in the family and community.

Angkie Yudistia can be a bridge to what is needed by 21 people with disabilities in Indonesia.

He was challenged to create a strategy so that people with disabilities could achieve independence, relinquish the stigma of disability into abilities that are equivalent to non-disabled people on the labor market.

Angkie's experience in managing Thisable Enterprise can be used as an example to open up other opportunities that are broader and more evenly distributed throughout the archipelago.

School participation rate

Another problem that becomes a big homework is the matter of school participation rates (APS).

There is still an imbalance of school participation between persons with disabilities and non-disabled in 2018, especially in tertiary institutions.

Based on Education Statistics 2018, the percentage of population aged 5 years and over with disabilities who are still in school is only 5.48 percent.

This percentage is far from the population who are not disabled, reaching 25.83 percent. The higher the age group, the lower the school participation rate (APS).

The highest APS occurs in the 7-12 year age group, which is 91.12 percent for people with disabilities and 99.29 percent for non-disabled people.

Meanwhile, the lowest APS occurred in the 19-24 years age group, which was 12.96% for people with disabilities and 24.53% for people with no disabilities.

Efforts to build an inclusive and friendly culture for people with disabilities must continue to be intensified in schools, including in tertiary institutions.

As one of the printers of human resources, Higher Education is expected to be able to work cross-sectorally with the government and other institutions to provide educators who are inclusive-minded and able to provide accommodative learning services according to the needs of diverse learners.

Public awareness about disability, eliminating stigma against persons with disabilities, providing support to improve the abilities and welfare of people with disabilities needs to be improved.

A new perspective is indispensable for the general public to help accelerate the role of people with disabilities by providing disabled facilities

Education for policy makers is also needed so as not to produce policies that are discriminatory, apathetic, and a priori.

We hope that the Special Staff of the President can enhance the role of persons with disabilities in national development.

Author: Agnes Setyowati
Dean of the Faculty of Social and Cultural Sciences Pakuan Universityn
Editor: Heru Margianto

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