Make Job Opportunities Available to People with Disabilities

The scope for disabled people to contribute to development is limited. They are often unable to access sufficiently inclusive education, and job opportunities are scarce.

KOMPAS/BAHANA PATRIA GUPTA

A woman and her child walk in front of the House of the Blind Massage at the Siola Public Service Mall, Surabaya, East Java, on Saturday (14/12/2019). The facility, built by the Surabaya city administration, provides access to jobs for the blind. At the massage house there are 10 certified masseurs and masseuses.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – The state’s attention to people with disabilities should not be restricted to abstract policy. It should manifest in concrete efforts to promote inclusivity. Apart from encouraging and supporting the achievements of disabled people in sports and the arts, inclusive job opportunities should also be made available.

The creation of jobs for disabled people will increase the rate of labor participation. Based on data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS), the workforce in February 2019 totaled 136 million. National Workforce Survey (Sakernas) data from 2016 showed that about 15 percent of the workforce in Indonesia was composed of disabled people.