IFES received an award from the Indonesia Disabled People’s Association (PPCI) for contributions to the organization, and promoting the rights of persons with disabilities in Indonesia. The award was presented by the president of PPCI on 29 September.

Kyle Lemargie, IFES' Regional Program Manager, accepted the award on behalf of IFES at the annual PPCI conference in the Horizon Hotel in Jakarta. The gathering focused on increasing dialogue between the Indonesian government and disabled persons organizations at the national and regional levels, the current structure of PPCI and electing a new president.

The conference was attended by over 200 PPCI delegates from across the country and representatives from civil society organizations and senior government officials, including Indonesia’s deputy minister of social affairs.

The award was presented days after a consortium of election professionals and disabled persons organizations supported by IFES observed local elections in the city of Yogyakarta. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ General Election Network for Disability Access (AGENDA) evaluated the election from the perspective of persons with disabilities in areas such as access to polling stations, availability of accessible voting materials like Braille ballots and clarity of voting procedures. AGENDA also interviewed voters with disabilities and will present findings to local and national election authorities as well as international partners.

IFES has supported persons with disabilities in Indonesia and organizations that work to promote their rights through numerous sub-grants focusing on increasing access to elections.