AEC 2015: No Development Without Inclusion of People with Disabilities

Indonesia has had a very good run over the past decade. But, we will face a massive economic machine in this year, The ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) 2015. As we approach the AEC 2015 , it’s worrying to see so litle being discussed about the opening up of trade, investment, and people flows within Assosiaciation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). With litle debate over cost and benefits, there is rising concern that time is running out on how best to take advantage of AEC’s opportunities and minimize it’s threats. Free trade commitments have become important, not only because Indonesia wants to but also because Indonesia is a part of ASEAN. Free trade is not only used to appease partner countries, it’s also a tool for Indonesia to expand it’s market abroad. Everyone talking about our economic and forget something important as a obligation of democratic states. On democratization, we have to guarantee and protect the human rights, especially the rights of people with dissabilities in AEC 2015.

The data based on WHO/World Bank 2011 World Report, People with disabilities make up around 15 per cent of the global population over 1 billion people with the majority living in developing countries. At least 785 million are of working age. Besides placing persons with disabilities at a higher risk of poverty, these patterns combine to bring about significant social and economic losses, estimated at between 3 and 7 per cent of GDP in an ILO pilot study of ten low and middle income developing countries. Compared to nondisabled persons, people with disabilities are less likely to be in full time employment, more likely to be unemployed, and significantly more likely to be economically inactive

AEC 2015 background

ASEAN was formed in 1967, at the end of the 1963-1966 konfrontasi conflict, when Indonesia politically and militarilly opposed the formation of Malaysia. And with neighbouring Vietnam still at war, ASEAN was formed to create a zone of peace and security among the five funding members, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philiphines. After the Vietnam war ended in the early 1970s, ASEAN grew to absorb Brunei, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. More recently, Myanmar joined to become the group’s 10th member.

In 2003, leaders from the ASEAN block of nations agreed to establish an ASEAN Community by 2020, comprising three pillars, namely the ASEAN Political-Security Community, the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, and the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). Subsequently, they decided to hasten the establishment of the AEC to 2015. The AEC is an initiative to transform the region into an area with free movement of goods, services, investment, skilled labor, and a freer flow of capital. The vision for AEC 2015 is the partial economic union of 10 ASEAN countries, namely Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Cambodia, and Brunei, to usher in a new era of economic co-operation. The four main goals of the AEC are single market and production-base, competitive economic region, equitable economic development, as external trade is an integral part of the region, and integration into the global economy.

Understanding Disabilities

Disability is a normal phenomenon in the sense that it exists in all societies, affecting predictable and identifiable proportions of each population. Therefore, it should be possible to estimate the sizes of the various disability populations, determine their needs and develop appropriate and cost-effective strategies to meet those needs.This is yet tobe accomplished however, largely because disability is a complex interconnected bio-medical, social and environmental phenomenon that is yet to be fully analyzed and understood.

For years, landmine victims and other persons with disabilities, and the professionals working to help them, have been reporting that their top priority is to be able to earn a living and take care of their families. As the majority of people with disabilities, and particularly landmine victims, live in developing countries, self-employment is frequently the most accessible way to earn a living. Often deprived of access to formal education and living in communities with unstable economic conditions, people with disabilities turn to self-employment to earn an income, support their families and be recognised as equal contributors to the development of their communities.

Meanwhile in Indonesia, according to data from the Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration, in 2010 the number of persons with disabilities is 7,126,409 people. with whom 3,474,035 (persons with visual disability), 3,010,830 (persons with physical disabilities), 2,547,626 (persons with hearing disabilities), 1,389,614 (persons with mental disabiltias) and 1,158,012 (chronic disabilities).Disability does not necessarily mean inability.

There is sufficient evidence, as demonstrated by field work in many parts of the world, that there is a strong desire among people with disabilities to be engaged in productive activity and lead dignified lives. With modest financial services they are able to do business according to their capabilities and even engage themselves in sportive, cultural and environmental undertakings.

Disabilities and Human Rights

On 10th November 2011 Indonesia ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) with the law no 19/2011. Ratification of CRPD was not only meaningful fulfillment of the formal aspects of the ratification of the Law in Indonesia, but furthermore, the signing is like opening a new chapter for the people of Indonesia in an effort to fulfill the rights of people with disabilities as part of Indonesian society. Observing the general phenomenon of disabled people in Indonesia is still apprehensive. Public spaces for people with disabilities is very minimal. Many public facilities are not disabled friendly, education sector is difficult for affordable, until the job opportunity that almost closed for the disabled people. Views of disabled people 'sell' their disability to become beggars are also often found in Indonesia. In this country, people with disabilities are generally described as someone who is helpless, need the mercy of others, dependent on others, always need protection and assistance. Unfortunately, these negative views are often maintained and reinforced by charities for the sake of stirring the hearts of many people to donate their money. Although by law, education accessibility for people with disabilities has been guaranteed, but the fact that college is not an inclusive perspective. This means that students with disabilities have to fight to pass the national exam without special help, they are acceptable if it can adapt and do not interfere with the function of the university, they will only excel if they are struggling without the facilities and support in the academic journey. On the other hand not every town in Indonesia to provide adequate access for disabled people to public facilities such as transport, toilets, roads or access to their inadequate activity. Although at the end of this year AEC started running, several cities in Indonesia has not seen a significant change for the realization of the city that is friendly to disabled people.

Government can Make a Difference

In order to enable people with disabilities to access decent work, and emerge from poverty, targeted action should be taken to promote access of persons with disabilities to education, skills development and life long learning; on the other side government should promote social protection floors and social protection systems that include people with disabilities on an equal basis with others, take their specific requirements into account in defining benefits including schemes or programmes that guarantee income security, social health protection and other mechanisms to ensure universal health coverage, as well as schemes and programmes that facilitate their participation in employment

The most important thing is to achieve a very high awarness among the public, the people. That would have a major influences on the politicians. Once the politicians take an interest in the problems, then we would be able to allocate funding to the problems. Normaly, politicians are not close with diability people, they don’t see them on daily basis. So even if they do understand that a serious problems exists, the problem is that they don’t really deal with reality of the problem. We should recognizee that Indonesia’s policy for disability people requires us to understand the culture of inter-ministerial relations and bureucracy. In this country, a system is built by the leader and when the leader goes, a new system emerges. Rules and regulations on how the goverments should handle this problems can be legislated, such as through law no 19/2011, but carrying it effectively is another story.

The cost of disability benefits alone amounts to up to 4-5 per cent of GDP in some countries.However, investment in more effectives trategies for inclusion can yield returns to society. For example, in Australia,a cumulative $43 billion increase in GDP over the next decade is predicted if the gaps between the unemployment and labour force participation of people with and without disabilities are reduced by one third.

Productive jobs and decent enabling persons with disabilities to realize their aspirations, improve their living conditions and participate more actively in society. Ensure disability perspective in all aspects of employment policies and regulations, the implementation and enforcement of laws and regulations, as well as providing employment and training opportunities same are all factors that can contribute to poverty reduction and inclusion of persons with disabilities in social and economic in Indonesia. As the 3rd largest democracy in the world, in welcoming the 2015 AEC it is the duty for government for doing economic development and doesn’t ignore fulfillment of the rights of the disabled.

WORKS CITED

International Labour Office, 2013, Disability and Development Priority Issues and recommendations for Disability Inclusion in the Post 2015 Agenda, http://www.un.org/disabilities/documents/hlmdd/hlmdd_ilo.pdf,

Robert Metts, 2014, Disability and Development Background Paper Prepared for Disability and Development Research Agenda Meeting, http://siteresources.worldbank.org/DISABILITY/Resources/280658-1172606907476/mettsBGpaper.pdf

International Labour Organization, 2013, Inklusi Penyandang Disabilitas di Indonesia, http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---asia/---ro-bangkok/---ilo-jakarta/documents/publication/wcms_233426.pdf