HumasUPNVJ - Election is one of the big events and is eagerly awaited by some political groups with an interest in it. Political rights in Indonesia have basic rights that can be exercised for all Indonesian citizens, including persons with disabilities.

Based on this, a research team from the UPN Veterans Jakarta Law Faculty and the Budi Luhur University Faculty of Communication & Creative Design (FKDK) held a Focus Group Discussion on Disability in Elections, at Budi Luhur University on Thursday (24/08/23).

Persons with Disabilities have the same rights as other persons with disabilities. Because they have the same role and there should be no discrimination on political rights. Because there is a law that regulates this, namely Article 26 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that there should be no discriminatory actions and equal and effective protection is guaranteed.

However, in reality the state has unknowingly committed discriminatory actions, which relates to Article 240 Paragraph 1 of Law Number 7 of 2017 Concerning General Elections that to become a candidate for DPR/DPRD members are Indonesian citizens who are physically fit.

Changes in this social order require strict regulations for improvement in the future. It is hoped that in the 2024 election or later, representation of persons with disabilities as candidates for the DPR/DPRD can be realized. The course of this informative and educational activity can be watched on the Budi Luhur University FKDK Youtube Streaming.

The focus group discussion activity was opened with remarks from the research team, namely Mr. Rianda Dirkareshza, SH, MH where in his remarks he hoped that this focus group discussion could add insight or new knowledge about the political rights of persons with disabilities in election activities that persons with disabilities also have rights to vote and be elected in elections.

"This focus group discussion activity is something new and I hope that with this focus group discussion it can make many parties understand and know more about the rights of persons with disabilities, especially in election activities," said the Dean of the Faculty of Communication & Creative Design, Budi Luhur University, Mr. Dr. Rocky Prasetyo Jati in his speech.

In addition, the Deputy Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs expressed his hope that this activity could provide benefits for persons with disabilities but could also add new knowledge to students related to elections.

On this occasion Nanang Kosim, SM as Treasurer of the Association of Persons with Disabilities explained regarding the notion of disability including its types, then the legal basis for the political rights of persons with disabilities in election activities, besides that he also presented data on persons with disabilities in terms of age and type of disability. suffered.

Nanang also explained the obstacles and challenges experienced by persons with disabilities in the election process such as lack of accessibility to polling places, the difficulty of obtaining information related to elections, and the lack of data collection to become election participants for persons with disabilities.

Apart from Nanang, Agung Agus Gede as the Head of the Legal Bureau of the General Election Supervisory Body said that the Election Supervisory Body plays several roles in election activities such as preventing election violations and election process disputes. to decide election administration violations.

The event continued with a question and answer session with speakers related to political rights for persons with disabilities from the perspective of the Election Supervisory Body and Associations of Persons with Disabilities.

This session became the culmination of the focus group discussion because each participant was given the right to have an opinion regarding the quota for persons with disabilities to run for legislative candidates.

With this focus group discussion activity it is hoped that it will not only be useful for research purposes but also as an effort so that more and more parties pay attention to the rights of persons with disabilities, that every person with disabilities has the same rights as other citizens, especially in terms of election activities.