Bridging Gaps: Exploring Gender Parity and Disability Inclusion in Indonesia

Introduction: This paper delves into the challenging issues related to achieving gender parity, disability and inclusivity in Indonesia education. It underscores the critical need for quantitative strategies to promote real gender equality. Novelty: We discuss the various elements involved in this quest, such as ensuring equal participation for all genders and enhancing the quality of educational experiences, all within the broader context of economic impact. Research Method: This paper employs data from the 2023 Social Economic Survey (Susenas) to analyze and compare recent developments in gender parity and inclusivity in Indonesia. This approach helps identify trends and shifts over the five-year period. Finding/Result: The analysis reveals significant disparities in school participation rates between disabled and non-disabled students across all educational levels. While the median participation rate for disabled primary students is 100%, the mean is only 76.79%, indicating many are not fully included. Participation rates for disabled students decline sharply at the junior and senior secondary levels, underscoring the urgent need for targeted interventions to enhance educational inclusion and equity for disabled individuals. To address the variations in gender parity and inclusivity observed across different districts in Indonesia, it is recommended that policymakers implement and enhance the availability and quality of educational facilities in underserved areas to ensure equitable access for all genders. Additionally, policies should focus on awareness and training programs to tackle cultural and societal norms that contribute to gender disparities and inclusivity in education.