Jakarta – Demanding more effective public instruments that help build inclusive and equitable societies, Deafblind Association (Pelita), whose members include people with dual sensory loss or multi-sensory impairment, have started an important dialogue with policy makers and government officials regarding disabilities rights.
Speaking to Deputy Chief of Staff for Politics, Law, Defense, Security and Human Rights along with Senior Advisors of the Executive Office of the President (KSP) in Bina Graha Building Jakarta, on Friday (16/9), the community asked for equal accesses to public services and involvement to state’s policy making process.
Though the issue has been repeatedly echoed by disabilities rights activists, the affirmation on the indisputable rights for deafblinds is often being sidelined. Yet, public awareness regarding such matters is still very limited.
“People are still unfamiliar with disabled persons of multi-sensory impairment, especially the deafblinds. There is no other time than now for deafblind people to get the same access as non-disabled people,” said Candra Gunawan, the chairman of Pelita.
At least three issues were brought to the table of discussions; (1) assistance for deafblind people to access services in public areas like hospitals, administrative offices and public transportation; (2) the development and public mainstreaming of tactile signing as one way of communicating in sign language that also involves touch especially designed for people with deafblindness; and (3) specialized trainings and practical hands-on learning based on the needs of people with multi sensory loss.
Deputy Chief of Staff for Politics, Law, Defense, Security and Human Rights Jaleswari Pramodhawardani stressed President Joko Widodo’s unending commitment towards the disabilities rights is strongly manifested through various government services and policies.
Law No. 8/2016 on persons with disabilities, which provides a legal guarantee for disabled people’s right to accessibility, is a reference for the government to respect, protect, enforce and promote the rights for persons with disabilities in Indonesia.
“The President’s commitment on unyielded public services for disabled persons should be the measurement of one nation’s civilization. I can assure that it has always become the country’s serious commitment,” Jaleswari said.
In addition, the Executive Office of the President’s Advisor Sunarman Sukamto said that the Office would push ministries/agencies to include specialized monitoring and training for deafblind people as part of the higher education curriculum. Deafblindness issue should also be addressed through appropriate coaching sessions for prospective civil servant candidates, said Sunarman.
“We hope that mainstreaming inclusion for disabled persons will be done in a systematic and structured way. KSP will assist the deafblind community and push policy makers to regard the rights of people with multi-sensory impairment in every state’s decision making process,” added Sunarman.
