To support the Biwako Millennium Framework for Action Towards an Inclusive, Barrier-free and Rights-based Society for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific (BMF), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) was designed a two-year (2004-2005) project aimed at improving statistical capacities in the collection and production of disability data in developing countries in the region through a series of workshops. The project was approved by the Subcommittee on Statistics at its first session, Bangkok, 18-20 February 2004 and the Government of the Republic of Korea has generously offered to fund the project.

As part of the project activities, the first Workshop for Improving Disability Statistics and Measurement was organized by the Statistics Division of UNESCAP with the collaboration of World Health Organization (WHO), the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and the Australian Institute for Health and Welfare (AIHW). The main objectives of the Workshop were to:

1. Familiarize the participants with the ICF and other international guidelines and principles for the development of disability statistics;
2. Introduce best practices in disability data collections, from the planning stages to the collection and dissemination of the data;
3. Develop a strategic action plan for improving national disability information systems in accordance with ICF and other international standards; and
4. Agree on the work to be carried out by the participating country teams for the second workshop.