Australian Consul General in Makassar, Todd Dias, and a delegation from the Australian Embassy in Jakarta visited the Australian-Indonesian Partnership Towards an Inclusive Society (INKLUSI) program’s activities in Ambon City in April 2024 to hear and discuss the achievements of INKLUSI partners – BaKTI Foundation and Rumah Generasi.
The Australian delegation was welcomed by the local government and community, particularly the Community Working Group (Pokja) Inklusi and the Disability Forum in Hukurila Village; a traditional village that has been implementing inclusive regulations (Negeri Inklusi).
The BaKTI Foundation and Rumah Generasi have been instrumental in addressing violence against women and children, promoting disability inclusion, and empowering the community through village development policies in Hukurila Village.
“I appreciate the collaboration between Hukurila Village Government with the Yayasan BaKTI and Rumah Generasi to promote the protection of women and children from violence. Hopefully, our partnership through the INKLUSI program will continue to have an impact on the lives of the most vulnerable communities,” said Consul-General Dias.
At the village level, Rumah Generasi has formed and strengthened an Inklusi Working Group and community-based services (LBK) to support and advocate for the rights of marginalised and vulnerable groups. This support is provided by the LBK representatives who understand gender, disability and social inclusion, and are skilled in assisting victims of violence and providing social protection information. Additionally, Hukurila Village has established a disability forum to advocate for the rights of people with disabilities.
Reinhard Dequeljoe, a visually-impaired member of the Inklusi Working Group and Chairperson of the Hukurila Village Disability Forum expressed his happiness that, since the establishment of the Inklusi Working Group and Disability Forum, people with disabilities have been included in activities in Hukurila Village. He and his friends have gained valuable experiences through their involvement in community activities.
“My experience in the Inklusi Working Group has been very enjoyable. In every activity, people with disabilities are always included. We gain a lot of experience. Therefore, as a representative of the Disability Forum and personally, I feel comfortable with the presence of the Inklusi Working Group which faithfully supports us,” said Reinhard.
Reinhard also added that, with the presence of the Disability Forum, he hopes all people with disabilities in Hukurila Village can feel safe and work according to their abilities.
The following day, the delegation from the Australian Embassy in Jakarta met with the Office of Women Empowerment, Child Protection and Community Development (DP3AMD) in Ambon and the Ambon Manpower Office. DP3AMD Ambon collaborates with Rumah Generasi to establish and strengthen the Regional Technical Implementation Unit for Women and Child Protection (UPTD PPA) in Ambon. Meanwhile, the Manpower Office partners with Rumah Generasi to advocate for and establish the Disability Service Unit (ULD) in Employment.
The UPTD PPA is essential for handling cases of violence against women and children, while the ULD Employment unit supports people with disabilities to access employment opportunities.
Jemmy Talakua, Coordinator of the INKLUSI Program at Rumah Generasi, emphasised the strength of their commitment.
“We are committed to eliminating violence against women and children and ensuring the fulfillment of the rights of people with disabilities, vulnerable groups and other marginalised communities. This support is crucial for us to realise an inclusive society and make Ambon City a Human Rights Friendly City,” he said.
The visit and commitment to collaborate are expected to bring about further significant changes, creating a more inclusive society where no-one is left behind.
