Komnas Perempuan Asks The Ministry Of Health To Develop A Disability Friendly Hospital

PHOTO VIA ANTARA

JAKARTA - The National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) recommends the Ministry of Health to develop health facilities, including mental hospitals and rehabilitation homes that are easily accessible for people with disabilities, especially in areas with minimal health facilities.

Komnas Perempuan chairman Andy Yentriyani said that women with disabilities have multiple vulnerabilities as women and as persons with disabilities.

"This vulnerability often overlaps with other vulnerabilities, especially low education, poverty, poor health services, and negative stigma from the community," Andy said in a written statement quoted by Antara, Friday, December 3.

The Ministry of Health is also asked to provide optimal and inclusive services related to reproductive health to women and girls with disabilities.

According to Andy, her team found that girls with disabilities who were victims of sexual violence were in the age range of 8-19 years.

"The findings show that the age of most victims is between 8-19 years old, where they are in primary and secondary education. Most of them do not have sufficient knowledge about sexuality and reproductive health," she said.

At the same time, the families or parents of girls with disabilities do not understand how to raise and educate girls with disabilities because of their low educational background and economic factors.

Therefore, her team also asked the Ministry of Health to improve the knowledge and skills of health workers in providing services to persons with disabilities and to increase the reach of reproductive health services for women with disabilities, especially in rural and remote areas.

Andy added that her team encourages the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection (KPPPA) to promote gender equality, inclusive reproductive health education for people with disabilities, and be able to reach families in rural and remote areas.

"KPPPA is to strengthen the integration of the special needs of women and girls with disabilities who are victims of sexual violence in women's and children's protection programs," she said.