Policies for Disabled Lacking

VIVAnews -The government has indeed paid attention to the disabled community but the Yudhoyono-Kalla administration has yet to issue policies that promote the welfare of disabled people

"The concerns are there. But how are the concerns realized?" said Coordinator of South Sulawesi Forum for Disabled People Rahman during a peace action commemorating World Handicapped Day, in Makassar, South Sulawesi, Dec 3.

Rahman said that the disabled are facing various problems, especially with regard to discrimination as well as restricted services in employment and education.

For the disabled people, he said, the absence of policies do not benefit them. "Let's just say that 80 percent of productive disabled people are still unemployed," he said.

The reason for this is that most job opportunities doubt their abilities, even though they are skilled.

"They are also human beings. And they are Indonesian citizens. There's no reason to discriminate them," said Rahman.


Reported by: Zeena/Makassar.

Translated by: Bonardo Maulana Wahono.