Yogyakarta, July 6th 2023─As technology develops, development is no longer aimed at equity, but has prioritized aspects of inclusivity in society. Basic human rights are interpreted as rights that every individual has from birth, without exception. Various access to information, facilities, even regulations are still not inclusive for all levels of society, especially vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities. Australia-Indonesia in Conversation: Valuing Democracy and Diversity: Equity, Leadership, and Social Justice raised this issue under the theme “Policies and Practices to Promote Equity, Social Justice, and Rights Recognition” on Thursday (6/7).
This non-inclusive condition is not solely due to the development of the times. Social and cultural constructions in society also contribute to shaping people’s perspectives on marginalized or vulnerable groups. The study of a lecturer in the Department of Sociology, Fina Itriyati, describes how women with disabilities take on roles in families with Javanese cultural backgrounds. “Women with disabilities are known to experience prolonged discrimination, but they develop into individuals who are resilient and taken in, and adapt to this environment,” said Fina.
“Society in this era still views groups with disabilities as individuals with disabilities, both physically and mentally, lacking the ability to think, and are even considered unable to play a role in society. There are still many discriminatory elements to be found, especially in rural areas with thick culture,” she added. Although discrimination often occurs against women with disabilities, this does not reduce their role in the family and society. Women with disabilities adapt well to housework with all its drawbacks.
The same thing is happening in Australia, even in educational institutions. Dr. Catherine Smith, Senior Lecturer at the University of Melbourne stated that educational institutions are actually very vulnerable to experiencing cases of bullying. “I have a student, his body is smaller than the others, not too flashy either, if he speaks his voice is very small, and he tends to be shunned by his friends,” said Catherine.
Catherine considers that the development of technology, especially the internet, has brought two sides to today’s society. “The internet helps us connect with other people quickly regardless of distance and time, but it actually makes us less sensitive to our surroundings,” he said. The internet has provided a description and standardization of various things, thus forgetting the fact that society consists of heterogeneous individuals who should be able to respect one another.
Discourse on inclusivity in Indonesia itself continues to be encouraged, even though it is far behind other countries. This experience was conveyed by Slamet Thohari, S.Fil., M.A., as the Founder of the Disability Service Center of Brawijaya University. “My experience while in Australia was very different from Indonesia. I feel that the facilities there are very friendly for disabilities both in terms of public facilities and services. While in Indonesia, this discourse still seems to have not been included in the development plan,” said Slamet.
This inclusivity discussion provides a big picture of how Indonesia needs to improve in the infrastructure development process. Not only prioritizing competitive technology, but also considering aspects of inclusivity for all groups.