Disability Data Toolkit launched at UN World Data Forum

News | January 16, 2024

On 21 October, CBM Global Disability Inclusion along with the Stakeholder Group of Persons with Disabilities and the International Disability Alliance are officially launching the very first comprehensive Disability Data advocacy toolkit at a session during the UN virtual World Data Forum. CBM Global is proud to have commissioned this toolkit and actively engaged in the formation and finalisation of the guide.

This toolkit was created in response to increasing interest and requests from persons with disabilities and their representative organisations from all over the world. The aim of this toolkit is to contribute to the growing global dialogue on the importance of data on persons with disabilities, specifically to provide some basic knowledge on data collection, analysis, and use of data for evidenced based advocacy to influence policy and decision makers.

The toolkit highlights two particular aspects of the journey on data, starting first with the need for data, so that we understand the real situation of persons with disabilities, to identify gaps that are not addressed through policies and / or to provide examples of successes. The second aspect the toolkit touches upon is once the data exist. It is important to understand how to analyse, use and trust data for creating advocacy messaging. The toolkit includes case studies in which OPDs have been involved in both of these aspects.

In conclusion, there is no excuse not to have data on persons with disabilities or to include OPDs in data collection and interpretation efforts. Persons with disabilities and their representative organizations are the experts on issues affecting them and are generating community-driven data to complement official statistics. With the guidance of the toolkit, persons with disabilities and their representative organisations can respond in a highly professional manner to data needs.

At the same session at the World Data Forum, CBM Switzerland Head of Advocacy Mirjam Gasser will present on learnings from the Inclusive Rapid Needs Assessment following Cyclone Amphan in Bangladesh.