The LEAP project

The LEAP Project (in full: Local Economic Development of People with Disability through Active Advocacy for an Inclusive Policy) in Indonesia aims to improve inclusion in the economic sector, specifically through formal and informal employment. Training sessions were conducted to improve knowledge of disabled people’s organisations, government agencies and other stakeholders on legal policy, the right to work and entrepreneurship of people with disabilities. Three local disabled people’s
organisations in Sulawesi were actively involved in setting up a comprehensive database to support local government in developing inclusive programmes. This will be used to increase the access to social services and government employment programmes for persons affected by leprosy.

Two pilot programmes were implemented to promote entrepreneurial opportunities and access, and inclusive jobs for people with disabilities and those affected by leprosy. A total of 34 people with disabilities (five of them affected by leprosy) were trained for formal jobs and 121 with a disability (14 of them affected by leprosy) strengthened their entrepreneurial skills. These two programmes serve as a reference for government and the private sector, which currently lack knowledge of how to implement inclusive employment programmes. Another positive result of these pilots were signed agreements between four disabled people’s organisations and governmental vocational training centres to provide inclusive services and wider access for people with disabilities and those affected by leprosy within the training programmes.

Disabled people’s organisations strengthened their capacity to conduct evidence-based advocacy and awareness raising. Three of these organisations in South Sulawesi successfully developed policy briefs and legal drafts on the topic of employment for people with a disability. A legal draft on implementation of empowerment of workers with disabilities was enacted by the district government of North Toraja. Legal drafts are in final review by local governments in two other districts. Information from the database and the two pilot programmes were used as evidence. These policies will create opportunities for involvement and increase access to work for people with disabilities and those affected by leprosy.