"ASEAN-US dialogue on disability is a huge, huge, huge, you know, outcome and impact and success in many different ways," she remarked during a special interview with ANTARA here on Friday.
She said she considered the dialogue, which will be held next week, as a success because it will showcase to the ASEAN and the global community that each party needs to ensure discussions about disability are part of the focus of ASEAN-US relations.
"We need to make sure disability is part of that conversation, that it's at the table," she stressed.
As a region, Minkara observed, ASEAN is currently focusing on efforts to develop artificial intelligence (AI) technology, the digital economy, climate action, agriculture, and trade.
In the midst of this focus and development efforts, it is very important for ASEAN to also ensure that there are efforts to address the problems faced by people living with disabilities, she said.
"And this is what the dialogue is all about. It’s how do we ensure that to build a fully inclusive economy and fully inclusive society, we're including the disability conversation at the table," she added.
In the meantime, regarding the Enabling Master Plan (EMP) strategy adopted by ASEAN to encourage inclusivity and fulfill the rights of people with disabilities, Minkara described it as a great feat achieved by the region.
The strategy — which illustrates disability inclusion and disability rights based on three pillars, sociocultural, political-security, and economic — is considered a very inclusive and cross-sectoral strategy, covering all aspects and all sectors within systems and society.
"Now, what needs to be done more is how do we further implement this Enabling Master Plan," she said.
She emphasized that the strategy needs to be implemented to ensure that the rights of persons with disabilities and policies regarding disabilities are not only discussed within the ministry of social affairs, but across all ministries.
"How do we further ensure that the civil society, the disability community, their voices are constantly reflected and heard and taken into consideration as we implement policies and design policies," she said.
She underlined that disability is not just a social issue, but also a political, security, and economic issue.
Therefore, the government needs to allocate a budget and ensure that disability issues handling is included in every effort made by all ministries so that the strategy can actually be realized.
Reporter: Katriana
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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