Revita Alvi: Advancing Inclusive Healthcare for Women with Disabilities

As the Chairperson of the Indonesian Women with Disabilities Association (HWDI), Revita Alvi leads the charge to improve healthcare access and inclusivity for women with disabilities. Through collaborations with the government, local organisations, and international partners, Revita is reshaping how public health services address the unique needs of women with disabilities, creating a more inclusive environment for all.

Following her appointment for the 2022-2026 term, Revita sought to deepen her knowledge of inclusivity and disability to strengthen HWDI’s advocacy efforts. This led her to join the Australia Awards Short Course on the Role of Government and OPDs in Policy Reform for Inclusive Development at the University of Sydney in January 2023.

“This Short Course gave me a greater understanding of disability advocacy, and I’m continually sharing this knowledge with HWDI members across 34 provinces to strengthen their capacity and improve our impact,” Revita said.

In November 2022, prior to attending the Short Course, Revita represented HWDI as part of an official delegation to Canberra, with support from the Disability Rights Fund and Disability Rights Advocacy Fund. During her visit, she engaged in discussions with the Minister for International Development and the Pacific, the Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery, and Australian politicians. These meetings aimed to promote inclusive development and ensure women with disabilities are empowered to drive change and contribute meaningfully to development across the Indo-Pacific region.

Revita also participated in a workshop hosted by the Australian Disability and Development Consortium in celebration of the International Day of People with Disability. The event brought together OPDs from Pacific Island nations such as Fiji and Samoa, to exchange experiences and strategies for advancing disability rights and fostering inclusive development across the region

“At the workshop, I shared insights about Indonesia’s legal framework for protecting the rights of persons with disabilities and how empowerment initiatives are being implemented in the country,” Revita said.

Gaining New Perspectives on Disability Advocacy

Revita had heard many positive things about Australia’s inclusive approach, particularly in terms of accessibility and disability rights.  

“Friends who’ve been to Australia often say it’s far more inclusive than Indonesia—whether in terms of policies, accessibility, or how people interact with those with disabilities,” Revita shared.

She experienced this firsthand during the Short Course at the University of Sydney, where the campus was equipped with accessible facilities, and the course materials were designed to accommodate participants with disabilities. “We even had two sign language interpreters throughout the course, making it much easier for everyone to follow along,” she added.

One of Revita's key takeaways was learning the Theory of Change, a framework that helps project managers design better and more effective programs by identifying problems, planning interventions, and measuring outcomes. The Short Course also allowed her to connect with 22 other participants from Indonesian OPDs and government institutions.

Reflecting on the experience, Revita believes the program could be enhanced by including participants with intellectual disabilities. “Having speakers with intellectual disabilities added a valuable dimension to our discussions and made the experience more inclusive overall,” she added.

Improving Healthcare Services for People with Disability

Revita’s most memorable experience from the Short Course took place back in Indonesia, where she and her team launched an Award Project aimed at improving healthcare services at community health centres (puskesmas) for people with disabilities. Collaborating with three other participants—Kustini, from Cahaya Inklusi Indonesia, Ahmad Tossirin Anaessaburi from the Committee for the Protection and Fulfilment of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Yogyakarta; and Annissa Sri Kusumawati from the Ministry of National Development Planning (PPN/Bappenas)—the project sought to address challenges related to accessibility and inclusivity in Gunung Kidul Regency. Gunung Kidul was selected due to its high suicide rates, which were linked to undiagnosed mental health conditions and the reluctance of people with psychosocial disabilities to seek treatment at puskesmas due to limited accessibility.

To tackle these issues, the team assessed 10 puskesmas on infrastructure, facilities, human resources, and pharmaceutical services, and developed a module to evaluate their inclusivity. They also held focus group discussions with local government officials, healthcare providers, and community leaders to identify practical solutions. Their findings highlighted gaps in services, especially in accommodating people with hearing, blind, intellectual, physical, and mental disabilities. The local health offices showed strong support, committing to staff training and infrastructure improvements. As a result, all 10 puskesmas now have modules in place to guide their inclusivity efforts, setting a foundation for broader policy changes and creating a blueprint for ”Inclusive Puskesmas” across Indonesia.

Nationwide Social Audit to Improve Healthcare for People with Disabilities

About a year after completing the Short Course, Revita initiated a national-level social audit project under the Strengthening Public Accountability for Results and Knowledge (SPARK) Program. As Chairperson of HWDI, she collaborated with the International Budget Partnership, Perkumpulan Inisiatif, and the Indonesian Forum for Budget Transparency to assess healthcare services at 35 puskesmas across six provinces: Jakarta, North Sumatra, West Java, East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, and South Sulawesi. The focus was on reproductive health services for women with disabilities.

“We adapted the tools from the Award Project and expanded them to include budget transparency reviews,” Revita explained. The audit included field observations, interviews with healthcare workers, and accessibility testing at the facilities. Results revealed that only 11% of the evaluated puskesmas had staff trained to assist patients with disabilities.

HWDI presented the findings on 9 September 2024 to key stakeholders in a meeting attended by representatives from the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection, the Ministry of Health, the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), and the CEO of the Center for Indonesia’s Strategic Development Initiatives. During the meeting, HWDI urged the government to prioritise training for healthcare and non-healthcare staff on how to effectively interact with patients with disabilities.

Revita remains committed to driving change. “My visit to Australia was truly inspiring and motivated me to push Indonesia to adopt similar inclusive practices. On a personal level, I want to be a better leader and contribute more significantly to creating a more inclusive Indonesia,” she concluded.