Facilities, jobs don't cater to disabled

Dewi Santoso and PC Naommy, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Access to public facilities and job opportunities are very limited for disabled Jakartans.

A 2003 survey by the Indonesian Association of Women with Disabilities (HWPCI), the Jakarta Architect's Club and School of Civil Engineering at Trisakti University revealed that of the 43 public buildings surveyed, less than 10 had parking lots, elevators, toilets, public phone booths and walkways accessible to the disabled.

The survey was conducted in a variety of buildings such as malls, hotels, offices, hospitals, recreation centers, airports and mosques.

Based on the survey, Mal Kelapa Gading in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, is best-equipped with facilities for the disabled, including parking lots, elevators, toilets and public phone booths.

Still, the result of the 2003 survey was better than the results of a similar survey conducted in 2001 by the same organizations. At that time, of the 35 public facilities that were surveyed, only Gambir railway station, Central Jakarta, provided access for the disabled in its parking lots, elevators, toilets, public phone booths and walkways.

The railway station is one of the pilot projects set out to provide access for disabled persons. The project was initiated during the administration of former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, who is technically blind and whose wife is confined to a wheelchair.

The HWPCI said that non-disabled people often used the facilities provided specifically for disabled people.

The World Health Organization estimates that 10 percent of Indonesia's 220 million-strong population has some form of disability.

The disabled also face a struggle when trying to land jobs for which they are qualified, as many recruiters perceived their disabilities as a liability or limitation.

In order to help disabled people to find jobs, the Indonesian Association of the Disabled (PPCI) and the Ministry of Manpower launched a registration program and published registration forms in a national daily for two consecutive days in October 2002.

However, only less than 100 responded, said HWPCI secretary Maulani Rotinsulu.

"Maybe this was due to the paper's market segment, since most of its readership are from the middle and upper classes, while many of the disabled are from the grass roots," she said.

Kasih Ani, chairwoman of the Empowerment of the Disabled Workforce (LPTKPC), a non-governmental organization established in August 2003, aimed to provide vocations for the disabled and assisted job-seekers land proper jobs by recommending them to companies and government offices.

The disabled have long demanded that the government provide accessible facilities for them and have claimed that they have been marginalized by the lack of access to public facilities.

Government Regulation No. 43/1998 on welfare of disabled people stipulates that by the end of 2003, all government buildings must provide access for the disabled. Yet, very few buildings have fulfilled the regulation.

The government has also issued Law No. 4/1997 on disabled persons, which stipulates that every company with a workforce of over 100 must provide 1 percent of their posts for the disabled. Those companies that violate the law can be fined a maximum Rp 200 million (US$23,810).

It is not clear at this time how well the law has been enforced.

Life not a bed of roses for Julius

For Julius, 21, his gold medal in track and field at the National Special Games last year meant nothing when it came to real life.

As a visually impaired child, Julius has lived with discrimination from "normal" people all his life.

"There was one time when I was standing for about 30 minutes on the curb in Pondok Labu trying to cross the busy road, and no one offered to help," he said. Instead of help, all he got was an insult from someone who accused him of only pretending to be blind.

Now Julius is in his third year of high school at the Resources Center for Children With Visual Impairment in Lebak Bulus, South Jakarta.

Even though he is proceeding with his education and has acquired numerous skills, Julius -- as well as other students at the center -- is pessimistic about his future.

"I still have to think about what I'll do after I graduate. Will there be any jobs out there for people like me?"

There are, indeed, several companies offering jobs for the disabled.

A big American fast food chain restaurant in Tebet employs four disabled people who are hearing impaired or verbally challenged.

"The four can work as effectively and efficiently as other 'normal' employees here," said the restaurant manager, who asked to remain anonymous. -- JP