IPAS is committed to ensuring that Indigenous persons with disabilities are not only included but also empowered to lead and shape their communities. Through direct funding and support, IPAS places Indigenous youth, women, and persons with disabilities at the heart of decision-making and community initiatives. This commitment is reflected in the recent leadership training in South Sulawesi, which created space for young Indigenous women with disabilities to strengthen their capacities and exercise their leadership.
The South Sulawesi chapter of the Indonesian Women’s Disability Association (HWDI Sulsel), with support from the Indigenous Peoples of Asia Solidarity Fund (IPAS), organized a comprehensive three-day Leadership Training and Capacity Building program tailored for young women with disabilities from indigenous communities across the regencies of Maros, Sidrap, and Sinjai.
The initiative brought together around 25 young women with disabilities from indigenous communities, offering training in leadership theory, organizational management, and group facilitation—especially focusing on the organizational context of Indigenous women with disabilities.
Chair of HWDI Sulsel, Maria Un, highlighted the significance of prioritizing young Indigenous women with disabilities. “We prioritize their involvement so they can be actively engaged when the government discusses issues related to persons with disabilities or Indigenous communities,” she stated.
The program aimed to equip these young women with the tools needed to manage community-based organizations effectively, enabling them to move from being mere beneficiaries to becoming active advocates and leaders in policymaking and community development.
Maria Un elaborated on the layered and complex barriers faced by Indigenous women with disabilities. She explained that many still lack access to proper education. While some individuals with disabilities have received a decent education, the majority have not, making it essential to empower them so that, at the very least, they are aware of their rights as women, citizens, and persons with disabilities.
Another barrier lies in communication, since many participants speak primarily local languages and have limited proficiency in Indonesian. This situation underscores the need for translators beyond sign language experts. “This is a unique challenge. People often assume that speaking to persons with disabilities is a uniform experience—but it’s not. We encounter these issues vividly in communities far from access to essential services,” she added.
Family restrictions and weak infrastructure also play a role, with many women with disabilities not permitted by relatives to participate in empowerment programs, while the lack of accessible facilities and public transportation further limits their involvement. On top of these challenges are cultural barriers, where deep-rooted societal attitudes continue to fuel discrimination. “Our challenges are truly multilayered. Add cultural barriers—though we can’t generalize—and these sustained perspectives make it difficult for persons with disabilities to be accepted as empowered human beings. Ongoing effort is required,” Maria Un observed.
She emphasized that empowerment should not only be given to persons with disabilities, but also to their support systems, especially families, who need to be strengthened first.
Read the original story here: Republik News
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