Muhammadiyah Highlights Double Discrimination of Women with Disabilities In Access to Education

Muhammadiyah

In an effort to realize equal and inclusive education, the Muhammadiyah Central Leadership’s Civilization and Human Resources Assembly (MPKSDI), together with Suara Muhammadiyah and ‘Aisyiyah University (UNISA) Yogyakarta, held a book review “Measuring Educational Rights for Women with Disabilities: Religion, Gender, and Policy”. The event, which took place on October 4, 2024, highlighted the double discrimination experienced by women with disabilities in accessing education.

The book by Dr. Islamiyatur Rokhmah, S.Ag., M.S.I., who is a lecturer at UNISA Yogyakarta, thoroughly explores the complex challenges faced by women with disabilities. In addition to facing stigma and physical barriers, they are also often marginalized due to the intersection between gender, disability and poverty. This makes it difficult for them to gain access to proper education.

A Holistic Approach

Uniquely, this book not only highlights the problem from a social and policy perspective, but also integrates Islamic, gender and disability perspectives. Using an intersectionality approach, the book reveals how various forms of discrimination are interrelated and exacerbate the situation of women with disabilities.

“This intersectionality approach is very important to understand the complexity of the problems faced by women with disabilities,” said Dr. Bachtiar Dwi Kurniawan, Chairman of MPKSDI PP Muhammadiyah.

“By understanding the root of the problem, we can design more comprehensive solutions,” he added.

Real Action for Inclusive Education

The book review was not only an academic discussion, but also a momentum to encourage real action. The participants, consisting of academics, activists and policy makers, agreed that there needs to be a concerted effort to realize inclusive education. “We need to change our paradigm on disability,” said Dr. Apt. Salmah Orbayinah, Chairperson of the Central Leadership of ‘Aisyiyah. “Disability is not a shortcoming, but a diversity that we must accommodate in our education system.”

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