Disability inclusive statistics in Sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from the Disability Data Initiative

Bradley Carpenter, Nolufefe Zukulu, Aphiwe Mhlongo, Thakasile Ndlovu, and Jill Hanass-Hancock

What is the Disability Data Initiative - DDI?

The Disability Data Initiative (DDI) focuses on monitoring disability rights using existing data

Global initiative led by Fordham University with nine regional teams https://disabilitydata.ace.fordham.edu/
Utilises publicly available national household and census data (from 2009 onwards) to monitor disability rights enshrined in the CRPD and SDGs
Monitors outcomes related to disability prevalence and disability gaps in health, education, employment, participation, food security, and multidimensional poverty (deprivation in more than one well-being indicator on health, education, employment, and standard of living)
Methods described at: https://disabilitydata.ace.fordham.edu/2023-method-briefs/

Image of the CRPD document and SDG logo.

Why do we need disability data?

CRPD Article 31 Statistics and Data Collection

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 …
The information collected in accordance with this article shall be disaggregated, as appropriate, and used to help assess the implementation of States Parties’ obligations under the present Convention and to identify and address the barriers faced by persons with disabilities in exercising their rights.
States Parties shall assume responsibility for the dissemination of these statistics and ensure their accessibility to persons with disabilities and others.

SDGs and disability data

The SDG principle of “leaving no one behind” requires understanding who is left behind and if this is people of different ages, races, ethnicities, sexes, genders, and abilities. This requires disaggregation of data, including disaggregation via disability. Hence, disability data is integral to achieving the SDGs.

What data and Methods do we use to create information on disability rights?

What type of disability questions do we see in national household surveys and censuses?

Generic disability question (underestimates disability)
Medical or impairment questions (underestimates disability)
Functional difficulty questions (different variations across questionnaires)
Functional difficulty questions in the form of the Washington Group Short Set on Functioning (WG-SS)

WG-SS Questions (domains)

Do you have difficulty seeing, even if wearing glasses?
Do you have difficulty hearing, even if using a hearing aid?
Do you have difficulty walking or climbing steps?
Do you have difficulty remembering or concentrating?
Do you have difficulty with self-care, such as washing all over or dressing?
Using your usual (customary) language, do you have difficulty communicating, for example understanding or being understood?

Answer Options

No difficulty
Some difficulty
A lot of difficulty
Cannot do at all

What information can the DDI reports provide?

Percentage of datasets that include functional disability questions (and WG-SS) and which datasets include these questions (nationally and internationally)
Disability prevalence disaggregated via degree and type of disability per country
Disability gaps comparing three groups (no, some, at least a lot of difficulty) or two groups (no or any difficulty) in terms of education, health, food security, income, participation, and multidimensional poverty outcomes
Disability gaps disaggregated via gender or age
Subnational prevalence estimates and disability gap

DDI country briefs show the country-specific prevalence and key indicators for each country that collects disability data. They can be downloaded at: https://disabilitydata.ace.fordham.edu/2023-country-briefs/