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Fifteenth meeting: 27-29 October 2015 in Copenhagen, Denmark

27/10/2015 - 29/10/2015

Overview

The 15th meeting of the Washington Group on Disability Statistics (WG) was held 27-29 October 2015 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The focus of the meeting was the presentation of additional work on guidelines for analysis of data collected using the WG Short Set (SS) questions and Extended Set of questions on Functioning (ES-F) and updates from the workgroups dealing with special methodological topic areas.

Results from the combined analyses of the WG SS and ES-F and a review of analytic guidelines using data from the US National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) were presented. The workgroup on child functioning led a session that included: the presentation of results from analysis of field test data collected using the UNICEF/WG Module on Child Functioning, its manual for implementation and a progress update on the development of UNICEF/WG Module on Inclusive Education. The workgroups investigating the development of disability measures for labor force surveys and measures specific to mental health provided status updates on their progress. The workgroup dealing with environmental factors provided an update on the development of extended set questions designed to measure environmental barriers and participation. The meeting also included a session focusing on the development of outcome indicators that can be used to measure the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and attainment of the Post 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In addition to reports on other Washington Group related activities, updates were provided by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the United Kingdom (UK) Department for International Development (DFID), Handicap International and the UN Secretariat of the CRPD with respect to their recent activities related to disability statistics. The meeting closed with a discussion led by the Steering Committee chair on strategic issues including planning next steps.

Detailed Meeting Program

Objectives:

  1. Provide an update on the analysis of the WG short and extended sets of questions and approve guidelines for analyzing data obtained from the WG extended set on functioning
  2. Present additional work on the UNICEF/WG Module on Child Functioning
  3. Review progress in the development of module on inclusive education
  4. Present work on the development of disability modules on labor force surveys
  5. Review progress in developing an extended set of questions on environmental factors and participation
  6. Present progress in work on measures specific to mental health
  7. Review recent international activities in disability statistics, including the use of outcome indicators for monitoring the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and attainment of the Post 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
  8. Approve work plan

Papers and Presentation

Session 1: Opening Session

Documents

  1. Overview and table of contents for International Measurement of Disability: Purpose, Method and Application [pdf]

Session 2: WG Short Set and Extended Set on Functioning – Proposed guidelines for analysis

This session included the presentation of results using the WG Short Question Set (SS) and Extended Question Set on Functioning (ES-F). The session also included a presentation of proposed guidelines for analyzing data obtained from the WG ES-F.

Documents

  1. Development of Extended Set of Disability Measures for Surveys: The Extended Set on Functioning [pdf]
  2. The Matrix (Workplan for the development of the Extended Question Sets) [pdf]
  3. The Washington Group Extended Set on Functioning (WG ES-F) [pdf]

Session 3: Methodological Issues Concerning Surveys – Child Functioning

A review of the development of the Module on Child Functioning was provided during this session; followed by the presentation of preliminary results from the Samoa Demographic and Health Survey.  The session also included a review of the work on the development of the UNICEF/WG Module on Inclusive Education for Children and an overview of the manuals for both modules.  The session concluded with a discussion of the next steps for the workgroup on child disability and a presentation on experiences using an earlier version of the Module on Child Functioning in Cameroon, India and Fiji.

Session 4: Development of Disability Modules for Labor Force Surveys

This session included a review of the current practices used for collecting information on disability in labor force surveys and an overview of the WG’s and International Labor Organization’s collaboration on the development of a disability module intended for use in labor force surveys, including sample questions from a draft version of the module.

Session 5: Methodological Issues Concerning Surveys – Environmental factors and participation

This session included a review of the work on the development of questions designed for the measurement of environmental barriers; followed by a discussion of the next steps for the workgroup.

Session 6: Methodological Issues Concerning Surveys – Mental Health

This session included a review of the work on the development of questions designed to measure mental health; followed by a discussion of the next steps for the workgroup.

Session 7: Outcome indicators to monitor the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and attainment of the Post 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Session 8: Country Reports

A summary of the annual reports on national activities related to disability statistics was provided.  This session also included presentations on individual country activities in Denmark, Brazil and Morocco.

Session 9: WG Collaborative Activities

The session included a discussion on the WG’s partnership with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) to support the implementation of the WG questions in national data collections, the analysis of the data that are produced and the dissemination of the information to inform policies and programs to improve the lives of persons with disabilities. Updates were provided on other WG collaborative activities, including collaborations with the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) and Handicap International.

Session 10: Next Steps and Objectives for the 16th Annual Meeting

The WG Steering Committee chair led a discussion providing updates on governance issues; summarizing the accomplishments of the 15th meeting; and outlining of the next steps.  The session concluded with closing remarks from the Director General of Statistics Denmark.

Post-meeting Session: The Global Network on Monitoring and Evaluation for Disability-inclusive Development (MEDD)

A representative from the UN DESA/UN Secretariat of the CRPD led a post-meeting session on the Global Network on Monitoring and Evaluation for Disability-inclusive Development (MEDD), an informal group of experts, researchers and practitioners in the areas of disability policy, data and statistics, monitoring and evaluation.

Executive Summary

Report to the UN Statistical Commission

Contacts

Workgroup Contacts

The workgroups will present status reports at the 16th meeting of the WG. Chairs have been identified and will serve as the contact for each workgroup. Information on the workgroup topics and chairs are provided below. WG members who wish to volunteer to participate in one of these groups are to contact the workgroup chairs.

  • Workgroup on the Analysis of the Extended Set on Functioning
    This workgroup is charged with the finalizing the guidelines for analyzing data obtained from the WG Extended Set on Functioning.
  • Workgroup on Child Functioning
    This workgroup is charged with the development of specific question modules designed to measure functioning among children.
  • Workgroup on Environmental Factors and Participation
    This workgroup is charged with designing extended set questions for the measurement of environmental factors including both barriers and facilitators.
  • Workgroup on Mental Health
    This workgroup is charged with the development of measures specific to mental health.
  • Workgroup on Disability Module for Labor Force Surveys
    This workgroup is charged with the development of a disability module for use in labor force surveys.

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