The chief Indonesian Disability Women Association (Himpunan Wanita Disabilitas Indonesia or HWDI) in South Sulawesi, Maria Un said during a discussion organised by Denpasar Discussion Forum 12 on Indigenous Communities on Wednesday (6/8) that her organisation had been working with the Alliance of Indonesian Indigenous Communities (Aliansi Masyarakat Adat Nusantara or AMAN) since 2017.

The program empowered people with disability in indigenous communities in the Districts of Maros, Sidrap, and Sinjai. In 2023, indigenous communities offered its inputs during a discussion on draft Law on Indigenous Communities in South Sulawesi. The first was that her organisation fully agreed with the resource person that indigenous communities not only wanted recognition, but also protection as citizens. The Law should not only focus on identity, but should also talk about traditional law as well. It was a question about how the law could ensure protection, including protection of indigenous communities’ rights, within the context of people with disability. The International policy recognised the rights of people with disability living in traditional communities through the Convention on the Right of Person with Disabilities (CRPD). The introduction acknowledged that people with disability living in indigenous communities may experience far more discrimination than other people with disability, and the draft law needed to recognise that to ensure protection of people with disability living in indigenous communities.

That protection also applied to indigenous women and children with disability. Maria Un and her organisation collected data in the three districts and found 50 people with disability and when she talked about protection, the people with disability mentioned specific needs based on their specific disability.

Maria added that the draft law had been in discussion since 2009 or four parliament periods. She urged more civil organisations to get involved in advocacy on the draft law from the beginning, because the issue was critical when it came to women and children.

Maria also expected that her organisation could get access to the draft law so that it could internally discuss with other people with disability organisations to ensure the draft law integrate protection of people with disability living in indigenous communities. (Astuti)