The government is seen as paying inadequate attention to reproduction right of the disabled people, as seen in the unavailability of policy that supports access to information and services of reproduction health of the disabled group. Meanwhile, health security has not fully supported the rights.
This was stated by Risnawati Utami, activist in the National Disabled Consortium, in the seminar titled Reproduction in Asia: Impacts of Modernization on Local Culture and Women’s Health, organised by Centre for Demography and Policy (PSKK) Studies UGM and Nara Women’s University, Japan, from Saturday-Sunday (12-13/1) in University Club UGM.
“Conventions on the Rights of People with Disabilities (CRPD) and International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD PoA) required governments to observe the need and right of the disabled while discrimination should be removed, but the fact is not so,” Risnawati said.
Risnawati said most women of the disabled group received minimal information on reproduction health and sexuality. The lack of communication techniques of health staff poses a significant barrier in socialising and serving, particularly, the deaf and the blind people. Meanwhile, there is some stigma among society that sees sexuality and reproduction health as a taboo.
“Therefore, the government needs to cooperate with various groups including academicians, research institution, NGO, and disabled group to identify the need of women with disabilities related to reproduction health,” she said.
Meanwhile, Budi Wahyuni, chairman of Yogyakarta Family Planning Advocacy, revealed the issue of sex and repoduction health in Indonesian local wisdom. The case of study is on the herbal medicine for women and aphrodisiac for men. Issac Tri Oktaviati, researcher from the Centre, presented her research in Gunungkidul regency, Yogyakarta. She saw various conditions that affect the low use of contraceptives. Another researcher, Sri Purwatiningsih, presented adolescent sexual behaviour that now tends to be permissive in conducting various sexual activities under many excuses.
From Japan, five people presented various issues in Japan. Miho Ogino, professor in gender study and reproduction history in Doshisha University, Kyoto, presented induced abortion that was once legalised in Japan in 1948. Eugenic Protection Law (EPL) is seen as a form of concern of the Japanese government due to overpopulation after the second World War and the reduced quality of offsprings. Miho also discussed the Family Pllaning issue by the end of the 50s targeted at the wives of staff from big corporates, and on contraceptive pills in 1999 that was disapproved in Japan.