The growth of electric vehicles in Indonesia is accelerating along with a number of regulatory facilities provided by the government to industry players. In 2019 the electric vehicle population amounted to 1,437 units. This figure continues to grow until in 2024 the number reaches 133,255 units.
Electric vehicles are predicted as an effort to create an energy transition and encourage sustainable energy. The reason is that electric vehicles are intended to shift fossil fuel-based transportation to electric fuel.
This effort was made, among others, through the issuance of Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 55 of 2019 concerning the Acceleration of the Battery-Based Electric Motor Vehicle Program for Road Transportation by President Jokowi in August 2019.
However, the government’s move is not free from criticism. In the upstream sector, criticism relates to nickel mining as an essential part of the battery-based electric vehicle program, which has triggered conflicts and environmental crises.
Meanwhile, in the downstream sector, the existence of electric vehicles is considered to have uneven access. There are still groups of people who have not been able to access and even not involved in both the planning and implementation processes. As a result, electric vehicles have not accommodated the needs of people with disabilities.
As revealed by Rina Prasarani, Chair II of the Indonesian Women with Disabilities Association (HWDI) for Advocacy and Awareness Raising to Konde.co.
“The energy transition carried out by the Indonesian government is not at all equitable, especially for women with visual disabilities,” said Rina.
Inequity and GBV Risks for Women with Disabilities
An electric vehicle is a vehicle that uses an electric motor as the prime mover without producing emissions and noise like fossil fuel vehicles. While many see electric vehicles as reducing noise pollution, they can be very dangerous for people with disabilities.
Electric vehicles that are designed to be silent do not take into account the needs of people with disabilities. The quiet sound of electric vehicles makes it difficult for people with visual impairments to detect approaching vehicles. This increases the risk of accidents, especially in pedestrian-heavy areas.
“Even vehicles with sound can cause accidents. If, for example, the vehicle still has a sound, it will not only benefit those of us with visual impairments but also children and the elderly. So, we think a transition should consider input from vulnerable people,” explains Rina.
Not only the risk of accidents, but there are also other potential dangers, one of which is gender-based violence.
Voice is one of the ways blind people navigate themselves to be safe. Without sound, blind people cannot detect approaching vehicles, which threatens their safety on the road.
Meaningful Participation for Persons with Disabilities
The disability community has long raised concerns about the sound aspect of electric vehicles. However, their perspectives have often been ignored.
“Discussions about zero noise in electric vehicles have actually been ongoing since 2007, particularly by the blind disability community, such as the World Blind Union,” said Rina.
They have pointed out that the near-silent operation of electric vehicles can pose a serious threat to pedestrians—especially for those who rely on vehicle sounds for navigation, such as people with visual impairments.
Instead of being a primary consideration in electric vehicle design, this issue only gained attention years later once accidents involving pedestrians with disabilities began to occur.
Only then did some countries, such as the United States and the European Union, begin enforcing regulations requiring electric vehicles to be equipped with artificial sound warning systems, known as Acoustic Vehicle Alert Systems (AVAS). Unfortunately, this policy has yet to be implemented in Indonesia.
In fact, the Indonesian government issued Ministry of Transportation Regulation No. 44 of 2020, which regulates the physical type testing of motor vehicles with electric motors. One of the key points in this regulation is the requirement for electric vehicles in categories M (passenger cars), N (freight vehicles), and O (trailers) to be equipped with sound systems. The aim is to improve road safety, particularly for visually impaired persons who depend on vehicle sounds for navigation, as reported by CNN Indonesia. However, the implementation of this requirement is only mandated starting in 2024.
The main cause of this delay is the lack of disability perspectives and social inclusion in transportation policies and technological innovation. One reason for this is the absence of meaningful participation from persons with disabilities.
Rina shared that stakeholders often invite her and the Indonesian Women with Disabilities Association (HWDI) to policy forums. However, she feels that these engagements are more symbolic than truly meaningful. On many occasions, she and her fellow persons with disabilities attend merely to fulfill an inclusion quota, without any serious attention to the issues they raise.
A similar sentiment was expressed by Mouna Wasef, Head of the Research and Advocacy Division at Publish What You Pay. She once attended a forum on energy transition organized by a government ministry and found that the government had yet to recognize the zero-noise issue affecting people with visual impairments.
Rina added that many women with disabilities still do not fully understand the concept of energy transition, let alone its impact on their lives. The lack of outreach and education regarding sustainable energy policies makes it difficult for them to engage in broader discussions. Yet, they are among those affected.
“Our friends don’t even understand the term ‘energy transition’ yet. When we talk about climate change, they still think it just means disasters. So, Communication, Information, and Education (CIE) for persons with disabilities can’t follow the same model as for others. It has to be modified to suit us,” Rina explained.
In this situation, the energy transition, which is expected to bring justice, instead risks creating new inequalities. If policy design still fails to involve those directly impacted, how can persons with disabilities be expected to adapt, let alone participate, in this transformation?
The road itself is far from safe for women, especially women with visual impairments. Women with disabilities are doubly vulnerable because they are women and because of their disabilities.
Based on the UNFPA 2023 report, women and girls with disabilities are 10 times more likely to experience gender-based violence than women and girls without disabilities. Even the National Commission on Violence Against Women’s Catahu recorded 103 cases of women with disabilities who were victims of violence throughout 2023.
The presence of silent vehicles increases the vulnerability of women and girls with disabilities, as they find it difficult to notice approaching vehicles. This increases the potential for accidents and gender-based violence that can occur in public spaces.
Women with disabilities have their own challenges in public spaces in accessing public transportation. Rina said she often experienced violence on the street or while on public transportation, both verbally and physically. She believes that the perpetrators of violence see women with visual disabilities as inferior figures who can be taken advantage of. On the other hand, it is not easy for women with disabilities to fight back.
“So there are many considerations for women with disabilities if they want to report. They also don’t know where to report. So, the narrative in public places about violence prevention is very important. Daring to complain for women with disabilities is difficult. For ordinary women, it’s difficult. We (women with disabilities) find it even harder,” said Rina.
Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities in Urban Areas
Beyond electric vehicles, urban transportation infrastructure remains largely inaccessible to persons with various types of disabilities. It feels premature to discuss meaningful participation without first ensuring basic access to city infrastructure.
According to a 2021 study by ITDP in collaboration with GAUN, more than 50% of the 53 respondents with disabilities reported that public transportation, sidewalks, and pedestrian bridges in Jakarta are still not inclusive. The city’s infrastructure does not yet support the mobility needs of persons with disabilities.
Rina shared her struggles when trying to access public transportation—even with the assistance of a companion. For her, public transport is still far from accessible for blind individuals. Even when traveling with someone else, she often finds it difficult to locate entry points or understand directional movement inside stations.
“I can’t even imagine going alone,” she said.
One of the biggest issues is the guiding block—tactile paving meant to help blind people navigate public spaces. Unfortunately, many of these are installed haphazardly, more like decorative tiles than functional guidance tools.
“Guiding blocks should provide clear directions, but instead, they’re installed in random zigzags without any logical path,” she complained.
This reveals a lack of understanding from those who install them. As a result, persons with disabilities face even more challenges in using public transport—even if it is powered by renewable energy.
Rina also noted that walking on Jakarta’s sidewalks is still a major challenge. As a blind person, she often encounters uneven pavements, potholes, or sudden dead ends without warning. While Jakarta has begun to improve its pedestrian paths by widening sidewalks and installing guiding blocks, their quality and maintenance are still far from ideal.
Rina often hears stories from friends who have tripped over holes or stumbled on construction materials left unattended without safety warnings.
“In Japan, if something is broken in the morning, it’s fixed by the afternoon. Here, we don’t even know when it will be repaired,” she said.
She emphasized that poor infrastructure not only makes things harder for blind individuals but also poses serious risks for wheelchair users and pedestrians in general.
Moreover, for persons with disabilities who experience accidents due to infrastructure failures, there are almost no mechanisms in place to demand accountability. This is why, despite Jakarta’s seemingly advanced development, the city is still far from truly inclusive—especially for its disabled residents.
The Importance of Reasonable Accommodation and the Extra Cost of Disability
In a just energy transition, reasonable accommodation and the extra cost of disability are crucial factors that are often overlooked, especially when it comes to accessibility for persons with disabilities.
Persons with disabilities incur additional costs in their daily lives—commonly referred to as the extra cost of disability. According to Yayasan Mitra Netra, the extra cost of disability refers to the additional expenses that persons with disabilities and their families must bear to meet basic needs that non-disabled individuals do not encounter. These may include the need for personal assistants, assistive devices, and other forms of reasonable accommodation.
Rina explained that public services often make it difficult for her and other persons with disabilities to access basic services, such as topping up e-money or opening a bank account.
“Not to mention if they (persons with disabilities) need to find a companion—it’s hard. Sometimes, there are only a few companions available. And even then, there are always additional costs for drinks, transportation, or something else. That’s what we call the extra cost of disability.”
Rina described how the extra cost of disability could amount to four times that of a non-disabled person, especially in special circumstances such as illness, navigating unfamiliar places, or anything outside their daily routines.
Electric vehicles, which are often promoted as environmentally friendly transport solutions, unfortunately still fail to take accessibility into account for persons with disabilities. From the lack of inclusive vehicle designs to the inaccessibility of electric public transportation, this transition only increases the financial burden for them.
“There needs to be discretion—it can’t be generalized. When we talk about reducing costs or reducing energy to save the planet, we must also factor in vulnerable communities. That’s what real justice looks like,” Rina explained.
The Unethical Processing of Electric Vehicle Batteries
Beyond the promises of sustainability, the production of electric vehicles is deeply entangled with unethical resource management—particularly in nickel mining, which is essential for EV battery manufacturing.
Mouna Wasef, Head of Research and Advocacy at Publish What You Pay (PWYP), explained that although nickel is used in renewable energy production, it cannot yet be classified as part of a green or sustainable transition, despite the government’s ambitious policies.
Since the 2020 ban on nickel ore exports, Indonesia has pushed the global industry to invest in downstream nickel processing by building smelters domestically. The aim is not only to stop exporting raw materials but to develop a high-value electric vehicle (EV) battery industry.
This policy aligns with the Indonesian government’s vision to become the electric vehicle manufacturing hub of Southeast Asia, attracting investments from global companies such as Tesla, LG, and CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited), which plan to establish production facilities in Indonesia.
According to a report by Climate Rights International, Indonesia supplied 48% of the world’s nickel in 2022. Nickel demand is projected to rise by 60% by 2040 due to the growth of the electric vehicle industry.
However, this industry, especially within the Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park (IWIP) in Halmahera, has already inflicted serious environmental and social harm. For fishermen like Max Sigoro, marine pollution from industrial waste and hot water discharge from coal power plants has devastated the marine ecosystem, drastically reducing fish catches and forcing them to venture farther at higher risk and cost.
In addition, Indigenous communities and farmers have faced land grabs without fair compensation, often accompanied by intimidation from authorities when they resist the takeover of their ancestral lands.
Massive deforestation has wiped out more than 5,331 hectares of tropical forest, while emissions from coal-fired power plants supporting the industry have reached 3.78 gigawatts annually—exceeding coal consumption in countries like Spain or Brazil.
Rather than creating a transportation system that is inclusive and equitable, electric vehicles risk reinforcing social inequalities if their production ignores principles of sustainability and human rights. A truly just energy transition must account for both accessibility and ethical production—not just emissions reduction.
According to Mouna Wasef, the nickel industry not only harms the environment but also worsens conditions for women, especially those living in rural areas, as shown in PWYP’s research in Morowali, Central Sulawesi.
In North Morowali, the nickel industry is rapidly expanding, drawing in thousands of workers—yet very few of them are women. PWYP data shows that out of 22,187 female workers, only 1,090 (or 4.9%) work in the mining sector, mostly in administrative roles rather than in the field. Meanwhile, women who rely on farming and fishing are facing severe challenges as mining operations encroach upon their land. Mining sludge not only pollutes water ecosystems but also covers farmlands, leading to crop failures.
Another direct impact is the clean water crisis, which disproportionately affects women, as they are typically responsible for household water needs. “Women in villages are the ones who search for water for cooking and daily use. But because the water is polluted, pregnant women who drink it have led to many stunting cases,” Mouna explained.
Land grabbing without fair compensation further deteriorates household economies, often resulting in an increase in domestic violence cases.
“Many cases involve forced land seizures, no compensation, or very low payouts,” she revealed.
These conditions exacerbate gender inequality in households, where women are placed in vulnerable positions, facing both economic and domestic violence. “We know that in households, women are often in subordinate roles—so they tend to become the victims,” she added.
Ironically, women—despite being the most affected—are rarely included in decision-making processes. According to PWYP’s report, 90% of Indigenous women were never consulted during development processes occurring in their communities. Even corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs lack transparency, offering only IDR 60 million per year to villages without a clear mechanism and without involving women in its use.
Among the most vulnerable groups are women with disabilities, who face multiple intersecting challenges. They not only lose access to natural resources but also struggle with limited mobility and economic participation. There is no official data on how many women with disabilities are affected by mining, whether they are offered employment or are increasingly marginalized.
Initiatives by Women with Disabilities
Amid the shift towards clean energy and sustainable transportation, the Indonesian Association of Women with Disabilities (HWDI) continues to advocate for the inclusion of persons with disabilities—especially women—in this transition. Unfortunately, many of them are still unaware that the energy transition also affects their lives, from access to electric vehicles to policies on renewable energy-based public transportation.
When they are unaware of their rights in these changes, it becomes even harder for them to participate in policy-making processes that directly concern them. HWDI actively conducts training and engages in lobbying with various stakeholders—not only to increase the awareness of people with disabilities but also to push for greater sensitivity to their needs in the design of transportation and clean energy policies.
Although there are efforts to provide participatory spaces for women with disabilities, many barriers still remain.
“Unequal access to education makes many of our friends afraid to speak up, so only a select few are able to voice their concerns,” said Rina. As a result, the voices of women with disabilities are often unheard in policy forums, even though they are among the most affected groups.
Currently, HWDI’s efforts focus on initiating discussions and creating narratives—especially targeted toward stakeholders—on how persons with disabilities can become actors, not just objects, in this transformation.
“Energy transition isn’t just about changing lifestyles, it’s also about shifting mindsets,” said Rina. Unfortunately, to this day, there is no concrete mechanism to ensure that persons with disabilities can still own low-emission vehicles or receive support in coping with the impacts of the energy transition. “Even a simple fuel price increase is already a burden for our friends with disabilities. But there has never been a special fuel subsidy for them,” she added.
Rather than being part of the solution, persons with disabilities are still often treated as “guests” in policy discussions. “The problem is, we are always treated like a project. Just guests—our presence is what matters, not our input,” said HWDI critically.
In fact, a just energy transition should not only consider vulnerable groups as targets but also recognize them as actors capable of contributing to fair and inclusive development. If the energy transition is to be truly inclusive, the government must begin to see persons with disabilities as part of the solution—not just invitees to policy meetings.
From a Charity-Based Approach to a Human Rights-Based Approach
Persons with disabilities have long been viewed through a charity-based approach—seen as a group in need of sympathy and assistance. However, this perspective actually hinders their ability to access equal rights in various aspects of life, including transportation and energy access.
HWDI, along with other disability organizations, continues to advocate for a shift toward a human rights-based approach. In this framework, persons with disabilities are not merely seen as beneficiaries, but as stakeholders with equal rights to be involved in policymaking. This includes the right to accessible and disability-friendly transportation, inclusive electric vehicle policies, and infrastructure that supports their mobility.
Without the involvement of women with disabilities in decision-making processes, inclusive energy transition and transportation will remain empty slogans with no tangible impact. Change must come not only through regulations, but also through a collective awareness that disability is not an individual problem that requires pity, but rather a part of societal diversity that must be taken into account in all policymaking.
A collaborative article by Konde and LBH APIK x Kalyanamitra
(Editor: Anita Dhewy)