By IDA

 - October 17, 2018

The second UN World Data Forum 2018 will be held in Dubai from 22 to 24 October 2018. The Forum will be hosted by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority, of United Arab Emirates, with support from the Statistics Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

The Forum is being held and organised under the guidance of the United Nations Statistical Commission and the High-level Group for Partnership, Coordination and Capacity-Building for Statistics for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Alongside the six main thematic areas of the Forum covering a wide range of topics, there will also be a variety of  break-out spaces, innovation labs, knowledge sharing spaces, exhibits and virtual forums. One such break-out session is a panel discussion on "Leaving No One Behind: The challenge and promise of disability disaggregated data". This session will take place on Monday 22 October at 9.00am local time. Download the programme of events here.

Background to disability disaggregated data

Historically, persons with disabilities faced barriers, marginalization and were not counted. Even those who have been active in their communities still have the barriers they face and their experience of disability ignored, misunderstood or dismissed. Disability has too long been regarded as a medical problem.

If the overarching goal for 2030 is for global sustainable development to leave no one behind, then everyone must be counted. As governments, UN agencies and civil society gather in Dubai for this second UN World Data Forum to improve the measurement of development progress and sustainability, it is not enough to ensure accurate tallies of populations.

The UN World Data Forum is an opportunity to consolidate this common commitment to the SDGs. All national statistics offices, the United Nations, civil society and organizations of persons with disabilities must collaborate so that we can collect powerful datasets that include all persons with disabilities, and that we can disaggregate this population data by disability status. 

Persons with disabilities are members of all societies and communities across the world. The SDGs themselves, and their specific indicators, clearly state that disaggregated data are needed and should be collected to monitor advancement in the implementation of the goals. Only then can we ensure meaningful and useful international comparability over time.

Existing Tools

Tools already exist, including the Washington Group short set of questions and, for disaggregation by disability among children, the UNICEF/Washington Group module on Child Functioning. These tools can be easily and cost effectively streamlined into all national data collection efforts. Further data and information can also be harnessed to guide policy makers on achieving the SDGs and measure the tangible impacts of policies and programmes across populations.

The 2030 Agenda calls on all of us to work in partnership to achieve its Goals. Since the 2030 Agenda’s adoption, this is the first major test of our commitment—across governments, UN Agencies, civil society and beyond—to build real working partnerships towards this shared vision. The world has agreed that sustainable development means inclusive development. We - orgnaisations of persons with disabilities - will attend the Forum in Dubai to make sure we’re counted.

Statement from Global Action on Disability (GLAD) Network

The Global Action on Disability (GLAD) Network is a coordination body of bilateral and multilateral donors and agencies, the private sector and foundations working to enhance the inclusion of persons with disabilities in international development and humanitarian action

The GLAD Network has issued a GLAD joint statement on Data disaggregation. The Network calls for the use of the Washington Group Short Set of Disability Questions and the UNICEF/Washington Group Module on Child Functioning to disaggregate data by disability status that can be used to assist in monitoring the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD), the Agenda 2030 with its SDGs and other instruments and commitments made, including the Agenda for Humanity. The Network also calls to attention the importance of making sure that the needed tools, services, and human resources are provided and available to allow disability disaggregated data collection, including in all situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies. Download the full statement here.

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Category: Data