Lawmaker Stresses Equal Protection for People with Disabilities

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Deputy Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR RI) Lestari Moerdijat has called for an immediate end to violence against people with disabilities, stressing that equal protection for all citizens is mandated by the Constitution.

Data from the National Survey on the Life Experiences of Children and Adolescents reveal a deeply concerning situation: 83.85 percent of children with disabilities aged 13 to 17 have experienced violence in their lives.

“Our children with disabilities are being left trapped in a cycle of systematic violence. This is intolerable,” Lestari said on Monday, April 13, 2026.

In the past 12 months, the rate of violence against children with disabilities has surged from 36.10 percent to 64.57 percent. Lestari highlighted the tragic case in Karawang in November 2025, where a teenager with a disability was lynched by a mob after being accused of theft without due process.

Another case of sexual violence against a woman with a disability occurred in Lamongan in February 2026, while similar cases in South Lampung remain unresolved.

According to Lestari, these incidents demonstrate that Indonesia’s protection system for people with disabilities is not functioning effectively. She stressed that ensuring justice for victims requires firm and uncompromising law enforcement.

She also urged improvements in disability-friendly services at the Regional Technical Implementation Unit for the Protection of Women and Children (UPTD PPA) and at regional health facilities, noting that such measures are crucial to ensure victims receive adequate protection and treatment.

Furthermore, she emphasized that schools and families must serve as safe zones for children with disabilities, free from all forms of violence. Training teachers and parents in early detection is urgent, she said, while society’s perspective on people with disabilities must change comprehensively to guarantee equal treatment. (Misni Parjiati/Lasti Martina)