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Special Advisor of the President of the United States Appreciates Minister of Social Affairs for Successfully Conducting ASEAN Forum on Disabilities

Special Advisor of the President of the United States Appreciates Minister of Social Affairs for Successfully Conducting ASEAN Forum on Disabilities
Writer :
Riska Surya
Translator :
Karlina Irsalyana

MAKASSAR, (10 October 2023) – United States Special Advisor on International Disabilities Right, Sara Minkara appreciated the steps taken by Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini in conducting the ASEAN High Level Forum on Disability-Inclusive Development and Partnership beyond 2025.  This agenda specifically discusses mainstreaming the right for persons with disabilities, and it is the first for a regional cooperation forum with the United States.

 "We are happy to be here, this is the first high-level forum between US-ASEAN, thank you to Minister of Social Affairs of Republic of Indonesia for hosting this event," she said on the sidelines of the agenda which took place at the Fourpoints Hotel by Sheraton Makassar, Tuesday (10/  10).

According to her, this high-level forum can increase the perspective of delegates and participants regarding disability issues, both in terms of security and supporting facilities for groups with disabilities.  Discrimination against groups of disabilities must be eliminated because many global communities do not yet understand the concept of inclusiveness towards persons with disabilities.

Discrimination or limitations can be eliminated by expanding access for groups with disabilities so that they can develop the values ​​and potential that exist within them.  This includes access to technological developments such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), education, transportation, and economy.  Therefore, said Sara, innovation is a must.

Talking about innovation, in the last two years, Ministry of Social Affairs has launched three innovative disability aid with high-tech features.  The innovations are adaptive walking sticks, Gruwi bracelets for persons with hearing and speech sensory disabilities, and Grita bracelets for persons with intellectual disabilities.  This technology has been proven to be able to make things easier for persons with disabilities in their daily activities.

"This tool increases the accessibility of persons with disabilities so that they can function optimally in everyday life," said Minister of Social Affairs in the opening session.

Adaptive walking sticks, for example, were created and designed with features to support the activities of persons with visual sensory disabilities, such as issuing sound warnings when grasping an object in front of them.  Functionally, adaptive walking stick is also able to detect the distance in front of the stick, detect puddle, smoke, and fire.

Grita and Gruwi were created to prevent violence against persons with disabilities.  Gruwi features a panic button with emergency alarm, sound sensor with capture level and distance settings, LED indicator and vibration that can detect sound.

Meanwhile, the Grita is equipped with excellent features such as a pulse sensor with an alarm if it exceeds reasonable limits, an emergency indicator light for attention to surroundings, and 8 levels of pulse sensitivity that can be set, and a cellphone connection to send GPS coordinates and realtime data.
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