| Disability [message #1962] |
Fri, 11 April 2014 12:46 |
anne.hayes
Messages: 1
Registered: April 2014
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Upon reviewing the document, we noticed that there are no questions related to disability. We feel excluding disability questions would be a missed opportunity to assess the situation of one of the world's largest vulnerable groups. Having data on disability would serve as a valuable source of information for USAID staff and other implementers working to ensure that development programs are accessible to all individuals. Furthermore, we advise that as reports of the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program are created, that disability statistics be disaggregated from the whole in order to provide an accurate snapshot of the situation for persons with disabilities within the program's broader findings.
The World Report on Disability (2011) has identified that people with disabilities represent a significant proportion of the world's population, at least 15% or 1 Billion people. The Report also finds that disability and poverty are intricately interlinked. As a result of this understanding, coupled with the broad global adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), many government and international development agencies are turning greater attention to the goal of including people with disabilities in development.
CRPD calls for data collection, stating in Article 31: "States Parties undertake to collect appropriate information, including statistical and research data, to enable them to formulate and implement policies to give effect to the present Convention." Effective development practice requires a factual understanding of the populations and community environments for to be reached. Without an attempt at inclusion of disability identification or functional limitation indicators, such as USAID Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program cannot inform the United States Government of the status of populations with accurate inclusion of people with disabilities and thus cannot meet the needs of the full population their programs are intended to affect.
Daniel Mont's World Bank monograph "Measuring Disability Prevalence" (2007) is an excellent resource on understanding disability prevalence metrics and methodologies. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) provides universal guidance on measurement. We encourage USAID to expand it staff acumen on disability statistics through these and other resources.
We hope you take these issues into account and include questions on disability into the final version of the DHS. Please let us know if we can be of further support in the process moving forward.
Best Wishes,
The InterAction Disability Working Group Co-Chairs
Anne Hayes,Perkins International
David Morrissey, United States International Council on Disability (USICD)
Rhonda Neuhaus, Disability Rights and Education Defense Fund (DREDF)
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