Handicapped people defend their rights<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Disabled Peoples' Association
\nyesterday condemned the denial of disabled women's reproductive
\nrights in some foreign countries.<\/p>\n
\"We believe that every woman, be she disabled or not, has the
\nundisputed reproductive right as part of her numerous human
\nrights,\" the association's Chairman Koesbiono Sarmanhadi said
\nduring a press conference on a planned seminar and regional
\nassembly of the Disabled Peoples' International Organization.<\/p>\n
Koesbiono explained that some countries, such as Australia,
\nhave encouraged disabled women to undergo a hysterectomy or other
\nsurgical procedures so they would not be bothered by menstruation
\nand pregnancy.<\/p>\n
These surgeries, he said, were performed on the pretext that
\nthey would help women cope with daily problems. So if a woman is
\ndisabled, she is considered as having more problems.<\/p>\n
Koesbiono said the association hopes that denial of
\nreproductive rights would not be experienced by Indonesians.<\/p>\n
He said although the issue was not on the agenda of the
\nforthcoming regional assembly, there was a possibility it would
\nbe raised.<\/p>\n
The Asia Pacific branch of the Canada-based Disabled Peoples'
\nInternational will hold its fourth regional assembly and 12th
\nleadership training seminar from Sunday through Friday next week
\nat the Kartika Chandra Hotel in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The Disabled Peoples' International main concern, currently,
\nis to fight for the rehabilitation and the equality and
\nequalization of opportunity for disabled people.<\/p>\n
Some 300 participants from 33 countries will take part in the
\nevents. Foreign participants will make up half of those attending
\nwith the other 150 representatives coming from Indonesia's 27
\nprovinces as well as the Indonesian Disabled Peoples' Association
\nmembers.<\/p>\n
The conference, which will be officially opened by President
\nSoeharto, coincides with the 1993-2002 Asia Pacific Decade of
\nDisabled Persons announced by the United Nations' Economic and
\nSocial commission for Asia Pacific.<\/p>\n
Topics to be discussed include women with disabilities, the
\nrole of the family in mainstreaming persons with disabilities,
\naccess to higher education, access to open labor market and
\naccessibility and a step by step guide to eliminate physical
\nbarriers. Exchange of information is also expected to take place
\nbetween participants.<\/p>\n
According to statistics of the World Health Organization 10
\npercent of the world's total population are people with
\ndisabilities and 60 percent of this number live in the Asia
\nPacific region. (pwn)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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