| Improvement of Disability Measurement and Statistics in Support of Biwako Millennium Framework and Regional Census Programme |
Last update: 16 December 2009 |
Built upon the outcome of the previous ESCAP/WHO disability project conducted in 2004-2006, this follow-up project seeks to further promote better disability data collection by developing standard measurement and improving national technical capacity. The project takes into account country needs in the region while contributing to the ongoing global initiatives on disability statistics. Its focus is on designing standard question sets for surveys, and conducting pilot tests and post-pilot test data analyses, which would provide an empirical basis for establishing standard survey measurement for disability data collection. Key activities include in-country advocacy workshops to encourage commitment among a wide range of stakeholders, targeted training of statistical experts and health professionals to improve national technical capacity, country advisory services to support national data collection effort, and the promotion of country-to-country cooperation and knowledge sharing.
ESCAP, the leading agency, implements the project during 2008-2009 with funding from the United Nations Development Account in close collaboration with a number of partners, including the Budapest Initiative on Measurement of Health Status, Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), ESCAP Social Development Division, Division for Social Policy and Development of the United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific (SIAP), United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) and the Washington Group on Disability Statistics, World Health Organization (WHO), and selected National Statistical Offices in the region. A Steering Committee is set up to oversee the project design and implementation, while the project activities are pursued through a project Task Team directed by national experts.
For further information, please contact Mr Andres Montes, Statistician, Statistical Development & Analysis Section, Statistics Division, ESCAP (escap-disability@un.org)
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| Recent and upcoming activities |
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Count us in: towards better disability measurement and statistics in Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok, Bangkok, 8-10 December 2009 |
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This regional workshop provided a forum to discuss ongoing initiatives in improving disability measurement and statistics that are part of the Secretariat’s work in support of the Biwako Millennium Framework and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Specifically, the workshop aimed to: (i) increase participants’ knowledge on the implementation of cognitive and pilot tests for questionnaire design, by disseminating the results of the cognitive and field tests of the WG/ESCAP extended question set to measure disability through surveys and (ii) further advocate WHO’s ICF-based approach for disability data collection through training on census and survey data collection.
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Ninth annual meeting of the Washington Group on Disability Statistics, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, 7-9 October 2009 |
| The main objective of the meeting was to discuss the results of the cognitive test conducted by seven countries, namely Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Fiji, Maldives, Mongolia, Sri Lanka and Philippines, taking part in the ESCAP supported project on disability statistics. The results of this cognitive test were discussed during a meeting in May in Washington DC based on which experts agreed upon a final question set to be pilot tested between July and September of 2009 in the Asia and the Pacific region. Preliminary results of this field test might also be presented during the ninth WG meeting. |
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In-country trainings on the Improvement of Disability Measurement and Statistics |
In light of ESCAP’s work to strengthen the capacity of national statistical offices in collecting data on disability, the Statistics Division co-organized several in-country trainings prior to the pilot testing of the Washington Group/ESCAP extended question set on disability for surveys. These in-country workshops were part of the activities supported by the UN Development Account project ‘Improvement of Disability Measurement and Statistics in Support of the Biwako Millennium Framework and Regional Census Programme’. The trainings took place during the following dates:
- Sri Lanka: 29 June – 3 July 2009
- Maldives: 6-10 July 2009
- Mongolia: 6-10 July 2009
- Cambodia: 3-7 August 2009
- Philippines: 10-14 August 2009
- Kazakhstan: 31 August – 4 September 2009
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Training on Cognitive and Pilot Testing in the Context of Disability Statistics, Bangkok, 16-20 February 2009 |
Participants were trained in skills required for qualitative research and analysis related to cognitive testing, and in conducting and analyzing field test results of an extended question set for surveys. In addition to gaining the knowledge necessary to undertake the cognitive and field tests in their respective countries over the coming months, the workshop provided participants with a critical opportunity to share their knowledge and experience in the area of disability data collection.
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Eight annual meeting of the Washington Group on Disability Statistics, Manila, Philippines, 29-37 October 2008 |
| The main purpose of the meeting was to discuss and revise the proposed extended question sets to measure disability through surveys. The extended question set will be pilot tested in six countries of the Asian and the Pacific region as part of ESCAP’s project on 'Improvement of Disability Measurement and Statistics in Support of Biwako Millennium Framework and Regional Census Programme'. This meeting also served as the first gathering of the project’s Task-team formed by all participating countries, international experts on disability statistics and the secretariat. |
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Regional Workshop on promoting disability data collection through the 2010 Population and Housing Censuses, Bangkok, 8-10 April 2008 |
The 2010 Round of Population and Housing Censuses provides a critical opportunity for improving disability statistics in most countries in the region. This workshop is part of ongoing global initiatives on promoting disability data collection through censuses and developing standard survey-based data collection instruments.
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Seventh annual meeting of the Washington Group on Disability Statistics, Dublin, Ireland, 19-21 September 2007 |
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The new 2008-09 Improvement of Disability Measurement and Statistics project was presented at the seventh annual meeting of the Washington Group on Disability Statistics as well as analytical results to facilitate the ongoing global initiatives to develop extended sets of survey questions on disability. The first Steering Committee meeting of the project was also held during the annual meeting.
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| Previous project workshops |
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Fourth Workshop for Improving Disability Statistics and Measurement, Bangkok, 20-22 June 2006 (Workshop Documents) |
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Workshop on the implementation of the BMF: development of national plan of action on disability, Bangkok, 19-21 October 2005 (Link Workshop Documents) |
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Third Workshop for Improving Disability Statistics and Measurement (for Pilot Countries), Bangkok, Bangkok, 3-4 May 2005 (Workshop Documents) |
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Second Workshop for Improving Disability Statistics and Measurement, Bangkok, 27-29 September 2004 (Workshop Documents) |
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UNESCAP/NSO Thailand: Fourth Meeting of the Washington Group on Disability Statistics Bangkok, 29 September-1 October 2004 (Meeting documents) |
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First Workshop for Improving Disability Statistics and Measurement, Bangkok, 24-28 May 2004 (Workshop Documents) |
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Workshop on Improving Disability Data for Policy Use, Bangkok, 23-26 September 2003 (Workshop Documents) |
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