Cheta Nilawaty P., Jakarta – The formation of disability service units (DSU) in Indonesia at the regional level as the forefront of empowerment at the local level for people with disabilities continues to be intensified. This effort is made to ensure inclusive and certain job placements for disabled workers.

According to the records of the National Commission on Disability, as of February 2025, there are 258 DSUs in 30 provinces and 168 DSUs in 60 regencies/cities in Indonesia. "A total of 200 offices that organize regional government affairs in the field of provincial/regency/city labor have DSUs in the field of labor, 28 provincial DSUs, 122 regency DSUs, and 50 city DSUs," said Commissioner of Literacy, Data, and Publications of the National Commission on Disability (NCD), Deka Kurniawan to Tempo, on Thursday, February 26, 2025.

As of now, 28 provinces that have carried out accelerated progress in the formation of regional DSUs are West Java, Special Capital Region of Jakarta, East Java, Central Java, West Sumatra, Bali, Yogyakarta, West Kalimantan, Banten, South Sulawesi, Gorontalo, Central Sulawesi, Jambi, North Sumatra, Riau, West Nusa Tenggara, North Maluku, Lampung, South Sumatra, North Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, West Sulawesi, North Kalimantan, Riau Islands, East Nusa Tenggara, Bengkulu, Central Kalimantan, and South Kalimantan.

Meanwhile, the list of regencies that have formed labor-related DSUs includes Cirebon Regency, Musi Banyuasin, Pulang Pisau, Berau, Mesuji, Jepara, Dharmasraya, Tangerang, Sijunjung, Sidoarjo, Kulon Progo, Pekalongan, Karanganyar, North Konawe, Kapuas Hulu, Gianyar, Sintang, and Sanggau.

Labor-related disability service units or labor DSUs are units that are part of regional government affairs offices in the field of labor. The legal basis for the formation of labor DSUs is Government Regulation Number 60 of 2020.

The formation of labor DSUs is a mandate of Article 55 of the Disability Act Number 8 of 2016. Labor DSUs are provided to facilitate services and access for people with disabilities. The duties of labor DSUs include planning for the respect, protection, and fulfillment of the rights to work for people with disabilities; providing information to the government, local government, and private companies regarding the recruitment, acceptance, job training, job placement, job sustainability, and fair and non-discriminatory career development for people with disabilities.

Labor DSUs also have the task of providing assistance to disabled workers, providing assistance to employers who hire disabled workers, and coordinating employers and workers in meeting and providing work aids for people with disabilities.

According to the regulation, the formation of labor DSUs is carried out by the offices that organize regional government affairs in the field of labor at the provincial and regency/city levels. In addition, labor DSUs can involve the community as support staff.

In addition to Government Regulation Number 60 of 2020, the mandate of Act Number 8 of 2016 concerning the formation of labor DSUs is also regulated in the Minister of Labor Regulation Number 21 of 2020.

At a press conference held on Monday, February 24, 2025, Minister of Labor Yassierly mentioned that field constraints have caused the empowerment of disabled people to be less than optimal, despite various policies being implemented. "This is evident from the limited placement of disabled workers each year and the low number of companies employing them," said the Minister, as quoted from Antara, February 24, 2025.

Therefore, according to Yassierli, the government has designed various strategic steps to address this issue. One of them is to enhance the work competence of disabled workers through inclusive and sustainable training and work programs.

Not only enhancing the work competencies of disabled workers, the government also encourages the formation of disability service units (DSUs) at the regional level as the forefront of empowerment at the local level. This effort is made to ensure inclusive and certain job placements for disabled workers.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1981828/indonesia-forms-258-disability-service-units-in-30-province