The presence of the state and society is really needed to create an environment that can support people with disabilities to have active roles and fulfilled rightsJakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia is continuously striving for inclusive development for people with disabilities by upholding the principle that no one is left behind in development, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture (Menko PMK) Muhadjir Effendy has said.
"In development, intervention from the state is needed to ensure that people with disabilities are not left behind. They are part of the development itself," he remarked at the MOST UNESCO Indonesia National Conference on Wednesday.
Currently, the number of people with disabilities in Indonesia is estimated to be 22.097 million, with the elderly making up the highest share, he informed.
"The presence of the state and society is really needed to create an environment that can support people with disabilities to have active roles and fulfilled rights," the minister said.
People with disabilities experience various socioeconomic risks, including exclusive employment, additional expenses for families consisting of people with disabilities, and income differences with non-disabled people, he added.
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These risks make people with disabilities more vulnerable to extreme poverty, Effendy said.
The poverty rate in households with persons with disabilities is estimated at 16.3 percent, which is higher than the national poverty rate of 9.2 percent, as per data provided by the Statistics Indonesia (BPS) in 2020.
In keeping with Law Number 8 of 2016 concerning Persons with Disabilities, the government is continuing to strive for the development of people with disabilities by including the disability dimension in planning, budgeting, and implementation.
In addition, the government is also providing access to people with disabilities to help them participate in the development process in an inclusive manner.
Government Regulation Number 70 of 2019 concerning Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation of the Respect, Protection, and Fulfillment of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities mandates seven strategic targets, including data collection and inclusive planning.
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Minister Effendy said that all parties need to change their point of view in treating people with disabilities both in daily life and in the context of development policies.
To that end, the ministry will continue to seek to coordinate, synchronize, and control policies related to people with disabilities, which cover three strategic issues, namely data collection on disability, expansion of social protection, and social empowerment of people with disabilities.
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Translator: Martha Herlinawati S, Resinta
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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