Disabled get double trouble

Disabled get double trouble

JAKARTA (JP): Disabled women face a double discrimination
whammy from society, namely their disability and their gender, an
activist says.

Mrs. Soegeng Soepari, the executive director of the National
Welfare Council, said yesterday that such women often become
dependent on others and called on government agencies, the
private sector and the media to cooperate in garnering public
support for the campaign to increase awareness about the
disabled.

Soegeng was speaking at a press conference to announce the
organization's plan to hold a one-day seminar on women with
disabilities on Jan. 4, 1997. The event will be held at the
Yayasan Penderita Anak Cacat building, Jalan Hang Lekiu III/19,
Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta.

It is expected that the seminar will help the organization,
other activists and the government establish a policy to help
disabled women integrate into society.

She said the policy would also be tied to an action program,
ratified under a 1993 United Nations resolution, of the Decade of
the Handicapped in Asia-Pacific 1993-2002.

Public awareness about disabled people has only come recently.
"Disabled women, of which there are 500,000 in Indonesia, however
suffer double discrimination from their gender and condition,"
Soegeng said.

The seminar, to be opened by Minister of Social Services Inten
Soeweno, will feature Moslem scholar Emil Salim, psychologist and
assistant to the state minister of population, Yaumil Agoes
Achir, Dr. Mulyono and two disabled women, Eva Rahmi Kasim and
Ariani. State Minister of Women's Roles Mien Sugandhi will also
give a speech. (01)