As a global city, Jakarta faces the challenge of becoming a comfortable place to livefor all its residents, including people with disabilities. Jakarta's efforts to meet the needs of these residents include providing facilities in public spaces, public services, and access to information. Let’s read this article to learn more about the facilities and services for people with disabilities in Jakarta.

Why Does Jakarta Need Disability Inclusion?

A city that is inclusive of people with disabilities is an essential part of fulfilling human rights. People with disabilities have the same rights as other citizens to access public facilities, education, employment, and healthcare services. By creating an inclusive city, Jakarta can offer fair opportunities for all its residents, which aligns with the principle of equality guaranteed by law.

In addition, disability inclusion will also improve the quality of life for its residents. A city that provides better access to transportation, infrastructure, and public spaces allows people with disabilities to participate more actively in social, economic, and cultural life. This creates a fairer environment and allows them to make meaningful contributions.

Jakarta's inclusive development for disabilities aligns with the tenth goal of the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs), which is Reducing Inequalities. A city that involves all community groups, including people with disabilities, can create more balanced and fair growth. If Jakarta neglects this group, social inequality will increase, hindering balanced development.

Furthermore, a disability-inclusive Jakarta will make it a more friendly city for everyone. Infrastructure that supports accessibility, such as easy-to-access sidewalks and disability-friendly public transportation, will also benefit other vulnerable groups, such as children and the elderly. By becoming an inclusive city, Jakarta will be a more comfortable and equitable place for all its residents. This is also in line with Jakarta's global city indicator, a priority of the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government, to become a city that is comfortable for its residents.

Also read: Establishing Jakarta as A Global City

What Are Jakarta’s Efforts to Achieve Inclusivity?

Previously, Smartcitizens might have known about the initiatives provided by the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government to facilitate people with disabilities. Here are examples of inclusivity implementations in Jakarta's various public services.

Public Spaces and Transportation

Various public places and transportation systems in Jakarta have gradually been equipped with special facilities for people with disabilities, such as the Jakarta Library and Transjakarta transportation system.

Jakarta Library

Located at Taman Ismail Marzuki, Cikini, the Jakarta Library, managed by the DKI Jakarta Library and Archives Office, provides a complete collection of boos for literary enthusiasts. 

Also read: Take a Trip to The New Jakarta Library 

Various facilities and services of the Jakarta Library have been provided to ensure accessibility and comfort for those with special needs. 

• Inclusion Room with Reading Access for People with Disabilities

The Jakarta Library has an inclusion room specifically designed to offer a comfortable learning and reading experience for people with disabilities. To ensure that the visually impaired can enjoy the reading collection, this room is equipped with books in Braille, audiobooks, and file readers, which play audiobooks aloud. Braille books allow them to read independently, while audiobooks provide a practical and enjoyable alternative.
Not only people with disabilities but also children who cannot yet read and elderly individuals with weakened eyesight can also use these audiobook facilities. The Jakarta Library is also equipped with talking computers that enable visually impaired individuals to access information and digital resources.

• Accessible Toilets and Guiding Blocks

The availability of accessible toilets is crucial to ensuring visitor comfort. Therefore, the toilets at Jakarta Library are designed to high accessibility standards, making them easy and comfortable for people with disabilities to use. They are spacious enough for wheelchair access. Additionally, there are guiding blocks in the Jakarta Library that visually impaired people can use to navigate to the accessible toilets and other areas in the library.

• Accessible Elevators

The elevators in the Jakarta Library are also designed to meet the needs of people with disabilities, with reachable buttons that allow visitors with mobility limitations to move between floors easily and without barriers.

• Special Borrowing and Visiting Services

The Jakarta Library assists in borrowing books and offers support for people with disabilities to access resources more quickly.

With these various facilities and services, the Jakarta Library aims to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for all visitors, giving people with disabilities the opportunity to fully participate in reading, learning, and socializing activities.

Transjakarta

Jakarta's efforts toward disability inclusion also come from the public transportation provider, PT Transjakarta. Transjakarta has made various adjustments in its infrastructure and facilities to ensure that passengers with disabilities can use the transportation services safely, comfortably, and independently.

• Provision of Buses with Disability-Friendly Facilities
  Transjakarta buses are equipped with various facilities for people with disabilities. Each bus is designed with an automatic ramp, making it easier for wheelchair users to board and alight from the bus without obstacles. Additionally, the buses have special areas that are spacious enough to accommodate wheelchairs, allowing passengers to sit comfortably during the trip. Transjakarta also provides special school buses for students with disabilities, offering free, safe, and comfortable transportation.

Also read: Jakarta Launched Disability School Buses 

• Fully Accessible Bus Stops
  Transjakarta is gradually renovating its bus stops to be more disability-friendly. Several stops in Jakarta have been equipped with ramps to facilitate wheelchair users in accessing the stops without using stairs. In addition, there are guiding blocks to help visually impaired individuals navigate within the stops. Some stops are equipped with signage boards to assist hearing-impaired customers, as well as elevators for people with disabilities, especially at stops located on flyovers.
• Priority Seating and Information Services
  Transjakarta buses provide priority seating for people with disabilities, marked with special signs. Bus drivers and staff are trained to provide responsive services to the needs of people with disabilities. Moreover, information services on buses and at stops, such as audio announcements and visual indicators, help hearing-impaired or visually impaired passengers know about stops and routes.
• Transjakarta Cares
  Transjakarta not only develops disability-friendly physical facilities but also offers the Transjakarta Cares service. Through this service, people with disabilities can request pickup and drop-off services directly from their location to disability-friendly Transjakarta stops. This service allows them to avoid difficulties when accessing stops independently, especially if their location is far from accessible stops.

To book this service, residents can contact the phone number 1500-102 or send a message via WhatsApp to 08111545001. Bookings for Transjakarta Cares must be made at least one day (H-1) before using the service. The booking service is available daily from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM via phone or WhatsApp. Users only need to provide information about the pickup location, destination, and desired travel time, and the Transjakarta team will schedule the pickup accordingly.

Wheelchairs and Hearing Aids

To improve the quality of life for people with disabilities, the Jakarta Provincial Government, through the Social Services Department, provides a free assistive device program. The devices include wheelchairs and hearing aids designed to assist both disabled individuals and the elderly with mobility issues, helping them to live more independently. This initiative is part of the Jakarta Provincial Government's commitment to creating a more inclusive and disability-friendly environment.

To receive these assistive devices, there are several registration procedures and application mechanisms that must be followed by prospective recipients, as outlined in the following guide:

Registration Procedure:

1. Photocopy of Family Card.
2. Photocopy of the Applicant's ID card.
3. Birth certificate or Child Identification Card (KIA) if the recipient is a child.
4. Full-body photo of the prospective aid recipient.

These steps are designed to ensure that applicants meet the requirements and can promptly receive the assistive devices they need.

Application Mechanism: The following mechanism ensures that the Social Services Department can target assistance accurately and in accordance with the recipient's needs:

1. Submission of Documents: Applicants submit a complete set of application documents to the Social Affairs Implementation Unit (Satpel) in their local district.
2. Initial Verification: The district's Satpel verifies and validates the submitted documents. Additionally, a field visit to the recipient's home will be conducted to confirm their condition and needs.
3. Final Verification: The Social Services Sub-Department verifies the field report and checks the applicant's documents for completeness.
4. Provision of Assistance: Once all verification steps are completed, eligible applicants will receive the assistive devices and sign a Handover Report (BAST) for the aid.

For more information about the free wheelchair and hearing aid program, click here.

Jakarta Smart City Website Features: Disability-Friendly

As part of the contribution to creating an inclusive Jakarta, the Jakarta Smart City website (smartcity.jakarta.go.id) provides accessibility features for persons with disabilities. These features are designed to ensure that all Jakarta residents, without exception, can easily access the information and services available on the Jakarta Smart City digital platform. This is essential for supporting transparency, public participation, and social inclusion to realize a city that is more friendly to all its citizens.

Features of the Jakarta Smart City Website: Disability-Friendly

The Jakarta Smart City website provides a user-friendly layout and navigation features, including for persons with disabilities. There are also specific features for persons with disabilities as follows:

• Voice Mode: This feature allows users to listen to the content of the website pages. It is particularly helpful for visually impaired individuals who require voice assistance to read the text on the pages.
• Text Enlargement: This feature enables users to increase the text size on the page. It is highly beneficial for users with visual impairments or those who have difficulty reading small text.
• Text Reduction: Conversely, this feature allows users to decrease the text size according to their needs, providing flexibility in adjusting the text display.
• Gray Scale: By activating the grayscale mode, the entire display of the website will change to black and white, which can assist individuals with visual impairments, especially those experiencing color blindness.
• High Contrast: This feature enhances the contrast between text and background, making it easier for users who have difficulty seeing clearly when the text and background colors are too similar.
• Dark Background: This feature changes the site’s background to dark, which can help reduce eye strain, making the display more comfortable for users with low-contrast visibility.
• Light Background: In contrast to the dark background, this feature changes the display to be brighter, facilitating users who need higher visibility on their screens.
• Readable Text: This feature modifies the text appearance to make it easier to read, such as increasing letter spacing or adjusting the font type for clarity.
• Underlined Links: All links on the page will be underlined, making it easier for users, especially those with navigation limitations, to find and differentiate links from regular text.
• Text Alignment: This feature assists users in aligning the text layout to be left-aligned or according to their needs, making it more comfortable to read for those who may struggle to follow uneven text.
• Reset Settings: This feature restores all accessibility settings to their initial or default condition. It is beneficial for users who want to start the accessibility settings from scratch or if the previous settings do not meet their needs.

These disability-friendly features are available in two languages, Indonesian and English, making it easier for users from various linguistic backgrounds to access information and services about smart cities more easily and comfortably according to their needs.

Jakarta Disability Card and Social Assistance 

The Jakarta Disability Card (KPDJ) is one of the initiatives by the DKI Jakarta Provincial Social Service designed to prevent social vulnerability and support the fulfillment of basic needs and social welfare for persons with disabilities. Beneficiaries of the KPDJ will receive a monthly allowance of IDR 300,000 through Bank DKI.

As part of the effort to create an inclusive Jakarta, KPDJ recipients not only receive cash assistance but also various additional benefits, such as:

• KPDJ functions as an ATM debit card from Bank DKI.
• Free access to Transjakarta services.
• Food subsidies covering rice, beef, chicken, fish, and eggs at Jakgrosir.
• Shopping discounts for daily needs through the Bank DKI ATM debit card.

The KPDJ funds received by persons with disabilities can be withdrawn every three months through Bank DKI ATMs. It is also recommended that the receipt of KPDJ funds be conducted through cash withdrawals at Bank DKI branches or ATMs directly, as withdrawals at other bank ATMs may incur deduction fees. With this system, it is hoped that persons with disabilities can more easily access the assistance they need to meet their basic needs. Want to know more about the Jakarta Disability Card? You can read more about it here.

Towards an Inclusive Jakarta for All

Jakarta continues to commit to being a friendly city for persons with disabilities. Through efforts to provide accessibility facilities, supportive transportation, and assistive device aid programs, Jakarta strives to fulfill the rights of every individual.

However, achieving this is not solely the government's responsibility. We all need to take an active role in supporting and monitoring these policies. Smart citizens can enhance accessibility and social participation by educating themselves and their surroundings about the needs and rights of persons with disabilities, providing support to persons with disabilities in their communities, and promoting inclusion in the workplace.

By collectively improving accessibility and social participation, Jakarta can become a comfortable and fair city for all its citizens. Let's create an inclusive and supportive environment for everyone, without exception.