Candra Gunawan calls for recognition
PELITA chair Candra Gunawan called for “the same access as non-disabled people”, saying public understanding of deafblind people’s needs remained limited. The association called for wider use of tactile signing and specialised practical training. Presidential adviser Sunarman Sukamto said the office would press ministries and agencies to include deafblindness in training and monitoring. [1]
Organisations build links across the movement
In July 2024, Disability Rights Fund’s Dwi Ariyani reported that 18 grantee organisations had gathered in Jakarta earlier that year, with the Indonesian Association of Women with Disabilities co-hosting. Her account highlighted PELITA’s attention to young deafblind people and advocacy for independent living by women with psychosocial disabilities.
Young advocates take the debate into care policy
DRF’s annual report for 2024 described PELITA activist Alice Tandri joining the Asia-Pacific Care Forum in Thailand. She advocated support systems centred on the rights of women and girls with disabilities. The report also documented an exchange in which DeafBlind Indonesia shared community-organising approaches with the Samoa Blind Persons Association. [3]