he government and the House of Representatives have agreed to establish the National Disabilities Commission (KND), an institution that will take responsibility for improving the welfare and rights of people with disabilities in Indonesia.
The agreement was made during a recent meeting between government officials and House Commission VIII overseeing religion, social affairs and women's empowerment to discuss a bill on the welfare of people with disabilities.
"The establishment of the commission will be stipulated in the draft bill that is being discussed,” Commission VIII deputy chairman Ledia Hanifa Amaliah told thejakartapost.com recently, adding that the commission's formation would be detailed by a presidential regulation.
She expressed hope that the deliberation of the bill could be completed in under two years, so that the commission could be established soon after the approval of the law.
The government initially rejected that such an establishment was stipulated in the bill on disabled people's welfare, saying it would burden President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, but government representatives later agreed with the House’s initiative.
The Commission VIII working committee has finished drafting the bill, which will be conveyed to an editorial team for improvement,” Ledia added.
"We agreed that the government, the regional administration, state-owned enterprises and provincial administration-owned enterprises must put aside 2 percent of jobs for disabled people," Ledia said, adding that private institutions would be required to allocate 1 percent of their employment opportunities.
The bill is a follow-up to the government’s ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and will replace the current law issued in 1997.
Social Affairs Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa in January said the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities did not require the government to establish a law. (bbn)
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