World Must Be Friendly and Inclusive for People with Down Syndrome

VIVA – The World Down Syndrome Day will be celebrated on March 21. This can be momentum for how the government and society can create a friendly and inclusive world for people with Down Syndrome – especially children. It's never too late to make it better, according to the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) member, Diyah Puspitarini.

In addition, Puspitarini also invited us to eliminate the negative perspective towards children with Down syndrome, "Let's start changing our mindset, then, change the negative perspective to children with Down syndrome. We as humans must together create a friendly and inclusive world," she emphasized.

The life of children with Down syndrome will change for the better even though it has to go through a struggle that is not easy. She reminded people that every human being born with any condition always has advantages, including children with Down syndrome, she added.

Therefore, Puspitarini also emphasized that families and communities must open opportunities and space for children with Down syndrome to grow and develop, equally to other children.

The commemoration of World Down Syndrome Day should also be able to inspire people to increasingly provide a safe and comfortable space for children with Down Syndrome considering they have the same rights as other children.

"If our society has good education and they understand, surely children with Down syndrome are considered the same as others. (They) get an education, get health facilities, civil rights. And if they have an opinion, we must pay attention. Well, the problem is there.” said Puspitarini.

People or children with Down syndrome have the right to get good care from their parents, both psychologically such as full attention from parents and physically including monitoring the fulfillment of adequate nutrition from toddlerhood to vaccination needs.

"Parents who lack understanding of handling and care so that sometimes the fulfillment of the health of children with Down syndrome is less considered," she informed.

She also gave an example during the COVID-19 vaccination, not many children with Down syndrome were vaccinated or received education about the COVID-19 vaccine.

While the government also needs to play a role in improving the fulfillment of the rights of children with Down syndrome through access to inclusive formal education, health services, skills training to achieve economic independence, the fulfillment of civil rights as Indonesian citizens.