The Sydney student fighting for disability rights around the world

Umar’s life has changed a lot since he moved to Australia from Saudi Arabia to complete a PhD. For one thing, he no longer feels “judgmental eyes” staring at him whenever he leaves the house. When he walks past the primary school near his home, the children simply say hello. “They're not frightened of me,” he says. “This is something I’ve never experienced before.” 

Umar, 28, was born with shortened arms and missing parts in his hands. His parents are Indonesian migrant workers – his father a driver and his mother a maid – in the Saudi Arabian port city of Jeddah. As the son of migrant workers and a person with a disability, Umar often felt like “a second-level citizen”. 

Inspired by his own experiences, he has become a passionate activist for disability rights, campaigning for equality in education and healthcare. His PhD with the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences – supported by a scholarship from the Indonesian government – examines the role of social media in disability advocacy. 

“In both Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, many people cannot accept physical and mental disabilities,” he says. “But through activism and digital action, I try to educate the public. Social media platforms like Instagram can be a powerful campaigning and advocacy tool for disability inclusion.” 

It is, he says, “a miracle” that he is studying in Australia. Without his parents’ dogged persistence, he might never have attended school. For years, the school his older brother attended refused to enrol him because of his disability. “My mum just kept bringing me to the school,” he says. “She showed the teachers I could read and write just like the other children. They finally accepted me when I was seven – two years late.” 

He faced similar rejections when he sought to attend university in Indonesia but was eventually accepted into an undergraduate communications degree at a university in Surabaya in East Java, then a Master of Media and Communication at Universitas Airlangga. 

When he enrolled for his PhD in Sydney in 2023, he was astonished to receive an email inviting him to register with the University’s Inclusion and Disability Services, allowing him to access support tailored to his needs. The University provided a dedicated desk, adjustable to support the scoliosis caused by the difference in length between his arms. He has also received support from the University in seeking healthcare during his time in Sydney. 

“It’s the best decision of my life to come and study here,” he says. “There is a lot to learn from the support offered to people with a disability in Australia and at the University. Everyone has been fantastic, especially my supervisors.” 

Umar’s PhD builds upon his career in Indonesia, where he led the education department of Rumah Disabilitas, an Indonesian non-profit organisation promoting disability inclusion through digital campaigns. 

“I’ve worked with parents of children with disabilities to help their kids access healthcare and education,” he says. “In some cultures, there can be a perception that nothing can be done to help these kids, so they miss out on a lot of opportunities. There’s a real need for increased public awareness about disability rights, and advocacy for inclusive education and healthcare.” 

Umar’s own parents have been steadfast in their support. “They’ve always had faith that they were given a special child,” he says. “They’ve fought for me and my education. They've always said they became migrant workers so their children could have a better life.” 

He hopes one day to return to Indonesia and pursue a career as an academic specialising in disability studies, while continuing his work as an activist. 

“It feels amazing that I have the opportunity to go overseas to study and work to make life better for people like me,” he says.