During a discussion on "Disability-Friendly Placemaking" at ICE BSD, Tangerang district, Banten, on Friday, KND commissioner Rachmita Maun Harahap emphasized that inclusive design does not refer to infrastructure design that is meant specifically for people living with disabilities.
Rather, it is design that seeks to accommodate the diverse spectrum of individual needs in a public space, she said.
"We must understand first that inclusive design is not a specific design for disability. Instead, the (purpose of) inclusive design is to overcome exclusion caused by human incompatibility with their environment," she explained.
She said that inclusive infrastructure design generally emphasizes convenience, independence, comfort, and safety, rather than aesthetic and high-tech aspects.
Therefore, the use of inclusive infrastructure design can be effective in creating quality public spaces and contribute a lot to the development of individuals, including people with disabilities, she added.
According to Harahap, spaces with inclusive designs open more space for collaboration between individuals.
"In fact, infrastructure development with inclusive design is more affordable because it strives for appropriate technology and based on the needs of many individuals, thus opening more opportunities for collaboration between community groups, both for economic and social activities," she said.
Not only that, she added, the inclusive design space implementation is in line with the mandate of Law No. 8 of 2016 concerning Persons with Disabilities. Article 97 of the law requires central and local governments to provide infrastructure that can be easily accessed by disabled people.
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Translator: Hana, Kenzu T
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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