JAKARTA, Oct 20, 2022 - (ACN Newswire) - The High-Level Intergovermental Meeting on the Final Review of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities (HLIGM-FRPD), has started this morning at Fairmont Hotel, Jakarta, Wednesday (19/10). The meeting took place hybrid from 19 to 21 October, and attended by 53 member states of the United Nations of Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and 9 associated members.Representing the President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo, the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy was present to open the meeting officially. In his speech, Muhadjir emphasized the commitment and strong support of Indonesian government in fulfilling and protecting the rights of persons with disabilities. "This can be seen in the implementation of policies and programs related to the persons with disabilities," said Muhadjir Effendy.
On her keynote speech, Executive Secretary of UNESCAP and Under Secretary General of the UN, Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana expressed her appreciation to Indonesian government for organizing this event, especially for the Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini.
Armida stated that the aims of this conference were to review, assess the progress of the Incheon strategy implementation, after 10 years. The second, to build on the commitment of ESCAP members to improve accessibility for persons with disabilities, including access to inclusive public transportation and social rehabilitation efforts that have been carried out.
The third aim is to make some recommendations of future plans that mark the 4th decade of 2023 to 2032 which will be formulated as the Jakarta Declaration.
On the same occasion, Social Affairs Minister Risma delivered a country statement, emphasizing that Indonesian government has taken concrete steps in fulfilling and protecting disability rights, as evidenced by the issuance of Law No. 8/2016 on Persons with Disabilities.
"With this provision, it marks an important movement in Indonesia from placing persons with disabilities as objects of assistance recipients, to becoming subjects who have rights and are actively involved in making decisions related to their own needs," said the Minister of Social Affairs.
Implementation and Evaluation of Respect, Protection and Fulfillment of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at the national and regional levels, the government also prioritizes persons with disabilities in a policy for a period of 25 years or known as the National Master Plan for Persons with Disabilities, followed by the National Action Plan on Human Rights.
Government Regulation 70 of 2019 on planning, implementation and evaluation of respect, protection and fulfillment of the rights of persons with disabilities.
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