Film
New Policy Secures Access to Healthcare for Indonesians with Disabilities
Health insurance has not always been guaranteed for Indonesians with disabilities. In 2015, Sustia Rini, a woman with a disability living in the West Lombok District, discovered that her oldest child would not receive the government-funded PBI healthcare due to previous unpaid debts. With no steady income, Rini was unable to pay back the debt, leaving her and her children uninsured. However, a 2020 policy reform now ensures the availability of free PBI health insurance to West Lombok residents, regardless of previous debts. This change will provide Rini and other women with disabilities in West Lombok access to vital healthcare services. *Video includes audio descriptions. *Read along by clicking the cc button on your YouTube player.
*Click here for the Bahasa Indonesia version of this film.
Sri Sukarni is chairperson of the Association of Indonesian Women with Disabilities (HWDI)’s branch in the province of West Nusa Tenggara. She joined HWDI as a member in 2010 and has been involved ever since. HWDI’s mission includes advocating for the social development of women with disabilities and improving their quality of life. The organization champions equal opportunity and full participation for women with disabilities. As chairperson, Sukarni is responsible for the management and leadership of the organization’s programs. Additionally, she works with team members, board members, and external stakeholders to create and deliver organization reports.
Sukarni’s disability advocacy goes beyond HWDI. In 2015, she researched the oversight of government assistance programs for persons with significant disabilities with the Australia Indonesia Partnership for Justice (AIPJ) and the Universitas Gadjah Mada’s Anti-Corruption Study Center (PUKAT). In 2016, she was chair of the Wheelchair Basketball Program at the Bali Sports Foundation. Sukarni also presented on disability issues related to infrastructure at the International Conference on Disability & Diversity in Asia at Universitas Brawijaya in 2019.
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