VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

A screenshot of Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, at the G20 Campaign event, which was broadcast virtually on Wednesday (January 26, 2022). (ANTARA/HO-Kemenko Perekonomian) - 

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto has expressed the hope that people with disabilities will be accommodated through inclusive and non-discriminative development policies after the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Indonesia respects the rights of people with disabilities, and our decision to ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2011 has demonstrated our commitment to disability rights," Hartarto said at the G20 Campaign event, according to a press statement issued in Jakarta on Friday.

The ratification of the convention has opened new opportunities for people with disabilities, as they will be seen as development subjects instead of merely objects, he remarked.

Indonesia, at the G20 Forum, will reiterate its commitment to inclusivity by ensuring all members of the society, including people with disabilities, have equal opportunity in the education and employment sectors, the coordinating minister informed.

As people with disabilities can also be productive in their daily lives, the government is determined to push the disability rights issue to other social sectors and encourage the global community to ensure people with disabilities can continue living productively, he said.

Despite having special needs that might restrict them, people with disabilities must not be left with limited opportunity as they have proven they are able to maintain their productivity, he added.

"People with disabilities are a community that can propel a productive economy, particularly when they are provided with equal opportunity and spaces to prove themselves," the minister said.

Indonesia has 21.2 million people living with disabilities and the challenges that they face in earning a decent living have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, he highlighted.

People with disabilities worldwide face challenges due to limited access to social and educational assistance, and children with disabilities are also restricted by limited educational aids, assistance software, and Internet access to assist their learning, Hartarto added//ANT