Yogyakarta, February 11, 2025—According to the National Economic Survey, the number of persons with disabilities in Indonesia has reached up to 28 million people, which equates to 10 percent of the national population. In an effort to increase the participation of persons with disabilities in the workforce, there are regulations in place that obliges the government to allocate 2 percent of positions in central government institutions to persons with disabilities, and 1 percent of positions in the private sector. Nevertheless, the National Economic Survey also noted that the amount of persons with disabilities in the productive age who are currently employed is less than 10 percent.
In line with the Sustainable Development Goals 8 regarding Decent Work and Economic Growth, as well as Sustainable Development Goals 10 regarding Reduced Inequalities, the government needs to widen the opportunities for persons with disabilities in the workforce. According to Muhammad Fauzi, a deaf lecturer from Universitas Esa Unggul, there needs to be a shift in perception regarding persons with disabilities in the workforce. They are seen by the general populace as unreliable, even though they have their own values. “Public perception needs time and also collective action from the government, private sector, and the general population,” Fauzi mentioned. With that, persons with disabilities can be seen as a valuable asset in economic development.
Moreover, work opportunities for persons with disabilities can be widened by utilizing the digital economy growth in Indonesia that has been rising for some time, like in the sector of transportation and delivery through ride-hailing services. According to Shelly Pristine, as Research Fellow Center for Digital Society UGM in the Diffusion #121 event organized by CfDS UGM on Tuesday (11/2), this became a popular option and is in high demand due to the fact that it is both flexible and easy to access. This job gives several positive benefits for persons with disabilities, like financial freedom, the opportunity to master new skills, as well as building relations and connections with other drivers and passengers.
“Even so, there seems to be room for improvement, like creating a communication guide manual so that it can be easier for passengers to communicate with a deaf driver, as well as pushing education regarding inclusivity to passengers,” Shelly added. Passenger education is especially crucial because there are still a lot of passengers who declined deaf drivers due to their disability. This is admitted by Clarina Andreny, Head of Public Affair Strategy, Policy, & Jabo Territory of Grab Indonesia. Responding to that, Clarina mentioned that Grab themselves has made many initiatives, like adding the disability tagging feature in their app so that passengers know what to expect about the condition of their drivers. Other than that, Grab Indonesia also has several different programs and facilities like Grab Access, Grab Excellence Center, Grab Academy, as well as Grab Gerak, in an effort to build an inclusive work environment.
In line with the Sustainable Development Goals 8 regarding Decent Work and Economic Growth, as well as Sustainable Development Goals 10 regarding Reduced Inequalities, the government needs to widen the opportunities for persons with disabilities in the workforce. According to Muhammad Fauzi, a deaf lecturer from Universitas Esa Unggul, there needs to be a shift in perception regarding persons with disabilities in the workforce. They are seen by the general populace as unreliable, even though they have their own values. “Public perception needs time and also collective action from the government, private sector, and the general population,” Fauzi mentioned. With that, persons with disabilities can be seen as a valuable asset in economic development.
Moreover, work opportunities for persons with disabilities can be widened by utilizing the digital economy growth in Indonesia that has been rising for some time, like in the sector of transportation and delivery through ride-hailing services. According to Shelly Pristine, as Research Fellow Center for Digital Society UGM in the Diffusion #121 event organized by CfDS UGM on Tuesday (11/2), this became a popular option and is in high demand due to the fact that it is both flexible and easy to access. This job gives several positive benefits for persons with disabilities, like financial freedom, the opportunity to master new skills, as well as building relations and connections with other drivers and passengers.
“Even so, there seems to be room for improvement, like creating a communication guide manual so that it can be easier for passengers to communicate with a deaf driver, as well as pushing education regarding inclusivity to passengers,” Shelly added. Passenger education is especially crucial because there are still a lot of passengers who declined deaf drivers due to their disability. This is admitted by Clarina Andreny, Head of Public Affair Strategy, Policy, & Jabo Territory of Grab Indonesia. Responding to that, Clarina mentioned that Grab themselves has made many initiatives, like adding the disability tagging feature in their app so that passengers know what to expect about the condition of their drivers. Other than that, Grab Indonesia also has several different programs and facilities like Grab Access, Grab Excellence Center, Grab Academy, as well as Grab Gerak, in an effort to build an inclusive work environment.