Regional Disability Statistics Groups

The Washington Group on Disability Statistics (WG) was established to address the need for cross-nationally comparable population-based measures of disability. In addition to its international work, the WG has begun to shift focus from providing global/national support, to building capacity regionally.

To that end, the WG is promoting the establishment of Regional Disability Statistics Groups that would carry on the work of the WG at a regional level. The goal is to create a consortium of National Statistical Offices (NSOs) that, working in consultation with civil society and advocacy groups, could be established as a viable and sustainable support mechanism for the implementation of the WG tools and methodology – on a regional basis.

To-date the WG has identified and initiated activities the following regions:

  • Island countries in the Pacific: Pacific Group on Disability Statistics [PGDS]
  • Arabic-speaking countries of Northern Africa and the Middle East (ESCWA region): Casablanca Group
  • French-speaking and Western/Central Africa: Brazzaville Group
  • English-speaking and Southern/ Eastern Africa: South/East Africa Group
  • Russian-speaking countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region: Moscow Group
  • South Asian region: Kathmandu Group
  • Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries in Latin America: Buenos Aires Group
  • English-speaking countries in the Caribbean region

No formal activities have been initiated in the regions below:

  • South-East Asia
  • Eastern Europe