Yogyakarta, November 22nd 2023—In the third year of the International Conference of Disability Rights (ICDR), the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences UGM was selected as the host. This annual conference is organized by the Australia-Indonesia Disability Research and Advocacy Network (AIDRAN) forum in collaboration with Fisipol UGM and the Australian Catholic University. Taking place over three days, namely 21-23 November 2023, experts, activists and academics gathered to discuss disability rights in a society that has not been fully accommodated.
Disability groups are part of the vulnerable groups that often receive negative stigma in society. Fulfillment of the rights of persons with disabilities at the regional level is considered to be very minimal due to a lack of openness from local governments and residents. That is the reason why efforts to implement inclusiveness in various sectors need to be supported by many parties. “UGM has committed to continuing to develop an inclusive campus environment and promises to continue to support initiatives and collaboration related to this issue. This conference is an opportunity for us to understand each other’s challenges and formulate joint solutions,” said Prof. Dr. Ova Emilia, M.Med.Ed., Sp.OG(K)., Ph.D.
This ICDR discussion session is divided into several panels and topics. All topics discuss disability rights in the education, legal, communications, and village community sectors. All panels involved academics and activists from Indonesia and Australia. These two countries seem to share challenges in implementing inclusivity for disabled groups. For this reason, this forum was created so that innovation emerges from the various steps that Australia has implemented to guarantee disability rights.
“It is hoped that the Australian government’s support through the INKLUSI Program for the implementation of this conference will further strengthen cooperation between higher education in Australia and Indonesia. Universities are institutions that have an important role in promoting social change in supporting respect for the rights of disabled groups, both through academic activities and community empowerment programs,” said Simon Ernst, Counselor Development Effectiveness and Humanitarian, Australian Embassy.
It is hoped that this bilateral collaboration will be able to realize the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) point 10, namely Reduced Inequalities. Disabled people as a vulnerable group are one of the main priorities in this agenda. Limitations that make it impossible for disabled groups to access various community services optimally. Not only is there limited physical access or infrastructure, but in this era disabled groups in particular are very limited in their access to information. For this reason, the government needs to start thinking about aspects of inclusivity in designing any policies so that all levels of society can be reached.
A total of 113 participants who attended this conference came from 10 countries, namely Australia, India, Sri Lanka, England, Lithuania, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Iraq and Indonesia. This enthusiasm shows the commitment of nations to creating an advanced and inclusive future. “The diversity of themes and perspectives at ICDR 2023 reflects the need to understand the intersectionality of disability rights in social, cultural, and political contexts. It is hoped that this conference will enrich discussions and sharpen understanding of the various obstacles faced by people with disabilities in participating in development,” said Dr Wawan Mas’udi, Dean of Fisipol UGM.