1. 16th Annual Meeting of the Washington Group on Disability Statistics
Accomplishments, Objectives and Agenda
Jennifer Madans (U.S.A.)
National Center for Health Statistics/
Washington Group on Disability Statistics
1/29/2018
WG-16 Pretoria, South Africa

2. WG – laying the foundation:
Agreement to develop short and extended sets of internationally comparable disability measures for censuses and surveys
Using the ICF as a framework
Equalization of opportunities selected as purpose of measurement
Developed a comparable testing methodology
1/29/2018
WG-16 Pretoria, South Africa

3. WG-16 Pretoria, South Africa
WG Tools:
WG Short set adopted 2006
WG Extended set on functioning for adults adopted 2010
WG/UNICEF Module on Child Functioning – adopted by UNICEF, to be considered by WG at WG-16
WG/UNICEF Module on Inclusive Education – cognitive testing commenced
Module for use in Labor Force Surveys (with ILO) – cognitive testing commenced
Module on Mental Health under development
Additional extended set on the environment and participation currently under development
1/29/2018
WG-16 Pretoria, South Africa

4. Summary of annual meetings
Washington, DC 2/2002
Canada /2003
Tanzania 10/2009
Belgium /2004
Luxembourg 11/2010
Thailand 9/2004
Bermuda 11/2011
Brazil /2005
Thailand 10/2012
Uganda 10/2006
Jordan 10/2013
Ireland /2007
Argentina 10/2014
Philippines 10/2008
Denmark /2015
1/29/2018
WG-16 Pretoria, South Africa

5. WG-16 Pretoria, South Africa
WG-15 in Copenhagen Oct, 2015:
The meeting was attended by 72 persons:
32 representing national statistical authorities from 23 countries;
15 representatives from universities or national institutes of public health or other national research bodies or ministries;
4 representatives from the National Center for Health Statistics (WG Secretariat);
13 representatives from organizations representing persons with disabilities; and
8 representatives from international organizations (DFAT, DFID, Eurostat, ILO, JICA, UN DESA/UN Secretariat of the CRPD, WHO-FIC Collaborating Center - Netherlands)
1/29/2018
WG-16 Pretoria, South Africa

6. WG-16 Pretoria, South Africa
WG-15 Key Sessions:
Proposed guidelines for analyzing data obtained from the WG extended set on functioning
Methodological issues concerning surveys: Child disability: WG/UNICEF modules on child functioning & inclusive education – status reports
Methodological issues concerning surveys: mental health, disability module for labor force surveys, environmental factors & participation
Review recent international activities in disability statistics including the use of outcome indicators for monitoring the UN CRPD and SDGs
1/29/2018
WG-16 Pretoria, South Africa

7. Workshops and Expert Consultations:
Nairobi, Kenya
06/2005
Mumbai, India*
09/2012
Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic
12/2006
Belmonpan, Belize*
01/2013
Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina
02/2008
Amman, Jordan
05/2013
Bangkok, Thailand
04/2008
Podgorica, Montenegro*
07/2013
Ohrid, Macedonia
11/2008
Apia, Samoa*
06/2014
Dhaka, Bangladesh
08/2009
Hammamet, Tunisia*
02/2015
Muscat, Oman
10/2010
04/2013
Geneva, Switzerland*
07/2015
Damascus, Syria
12/2010
NY, New York*
06/2016
Sharjah, UAE
05/2011
Nadi, Fiji
07/2016
Bogotá, Colombia
07/2012
08/2013
Westchester, NY*
10/2016
1/29/2018
WG-16 Pretoria, South Africa
*in collaboration with UNICEF

8. WG: Workgroups / Leaders
Workgroup on the Analysis of the Extended Set on Functioning / NCHS
Workgroup on Child Functioning / NCHS
Workgroup on Environmental Factors and Participation / NCHS
Workgroup on Mental Health / Margie Schneider, South Africa; Elena De Palma, Italy
Workgroup on Disability Module for Labor Force Surveys / Daniel Mont, UCL
1/29/2018

9. Report Series of WG activities:
WG Short Set: Disability Information from Censuses, prepared for DPOs
WG Short Set: Development of an Internationally Comparable Disability Measure for Censuses, prepared for NSOs
Monitoring the UN CRPD
Understanding and Interpreting Disability as Measured using the WG Short Set of Questions
The Measurement of Disability: Recommendations for the 2020 Round of Censuses
Development of Extended Sets of Disability Measures for Surveys
Disaggregation of SDG Indicators by Disability Status - A way forward
1/29/2018
WG-16 Pretoria, South Africa

10. WG-16 Pretoria, South Africa
The New WG Website:
1/29/2018
WG-16 Pretoria, South Africa

11. Volume on the history and accomplishments of the WG:
International Measurement of Disability:
Purpose, Method and Application
The Work of the Washington Group
B. M. Altman (Editor)
Springer (Publisher)
Publication: June, 2016
1/29/2018

12. WG-16 Pretoria, South Africa
Collaborations:
The WG has a long history of collaboration with other international organizations:
UNSD (Statistical Division)
UN DESA (Department of Economic and Social Affairs)
UNICEF (Children’s Fund)
ILO (International Labor Organization)
UN ESCAP / UN ESCWA (Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific/Western Asia)
World Bank
World Health Organization
US AID
as well as many National Statistical Offices and both Non-Governmental and Disabled Person’s Organizations
1/29/2018
WG-16 Pretoria, South Africa

13. Some specific outside activities:
Cognitive testing:
UNICEF: Module on Inclusive Education
ILO: Disability module in labor force surveys
One-UN (UN partnership with ILO, WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA):
to develop a common narrative covering approaches to measuring disability for monitoring, cross-national comparability, and policy development
UNICEF:
deployment of the Module on Child Functioning in the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS)
1/29/2018
WG-16 Pretoria, South Africa

14. Some specific outside activities:
Handicap International: initiatives in the Andean region, east Africa, in emergency response situations; and training (development of e-learning modules)
US AID: development of a disability module to include the WG Short Set in the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS)
Global Action on Disability (GLAD) Network: to provide support and coordination in enhancing the inclusion of persons with disabilities in international development and humanitarian action.
1/29/2018
WG-16 Pretoria, South Africa

15. Endorsement of WG SS in International Initiatives
Recommendations for monitoring:
UN DESA/UNESCO Expert Group Meeting, Paris, July ‘14
Follow-up conference on disability data, London, Oct ‘14
Adoption in International aid programs:
UK Department for International Development (DFID)
Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)
US Agency for International Development (USAID)
The 2020 round of censuses:
UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA)
UN Economic Commission for Europe (ECE)
1/29/2018
WG-16 Pretoria, South Africa

16. WG-16 Pretoria, South Africa
Disability Data Disaggregation: Joint Statement by the Disability Sector
“…to ensure international comparability and comparability over time for the purposes of SDG data disaggregation for adults, we recommend the use of the Washington Group short set of questions. For disaggregation by disability among children the recommended tool is the UNICEF/Washington Group module on Child Functioning. Both instruments can be easily and cost effectively inserted in all national data collection efforts.”
1/29/2018
WG-16 Pretoria, South Africa

17. Use of the WG Short Set in censuses, national surveys, disability modules or pre-tests (n=78)
Afghanistan
Fiji
Mongolia
St. Maarten
Argentina
France
Montenegro
Serbia
Armenia
India
Montserrat
Sierra Leone
Aruba
Iran
Mozambique
South Africa
Bangladesh
Ireland
Namibia
Sri Lanka
Bermuda
Israel
Nepal
Sudan
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Italy
Netherlands
Swaziland
Botswana
Ivory Coast
Netherlands Antilles
Tanzania
Brazil
Jamaica
Oman
Taiwan
Burundi
Japan
Pakistan
Thailand
Cambodia
Jordan
Palestine
Tunisia
Canada
Kazakhstan
Panama
Turkey
Chad
Kenya
Paraguay
Uganda
Croatia
Kosovo
Peru
United Arab Emirates
China
Latvia
Philippines
United States
China (Hong Kong SAR)
Lesotho
Poland
Vietnam
Dominican Republic
Malawi
Qatar
Yemen
D.R. Congo
Malta
Romania
Zambia
Egypt
Mexico
Rwanda
Estonia
Moldova
Samoa

18. WG-16 Pretoria, South Africa
The Road Ahead
We will continue to work on question development for sub-populations (children), and specific areas (mental health, environment & participation)
We will discuss:
Capacity building,
Training & Technical assistance,
Analysis,
Implementation, and
Dissemination.
1/29/2018
WG-16 Pretoria, South Africa

19. Main Objectives for 16th meeting
Provide an up-date on the WG Extended Set of questions and approve analytic guidelines;
Present work on the analysis of field test data from the WG/UNICEF module on child functioning and approve the module;
Up-date on the development of a disability modules on inclusive education and labor force surveys;
Methodological issues concerning environmental factors and participation;
Status on development of questions to measure mental health;
Country activities and Review recent international activities in disability statistics
1/29/2018
WG-16 Pretoria, South Africa

20. WG-16 Pretoria, South Africa
Agenda: Sessions Overview
Opening
WG Extended Set on Functioning – proposed guidelines for analysis: for approval
Measuring Child Functioning: background, results of field testing and presentation of final module: for approval
WG tools for disaggregation by disability status
Measuring environmental factor and participation: WG/UNICEF Module on Inclusive Education & WG/ILO Module for LFS
1/29/2018
WG-16 Pretoria, South Africa

21. WG-16 Pretoria, South Africa
Agenda: Sessions Overview
Development of measures specific to Mental Health
Disability Measurement in Africa
Country activities
WG Collaborations and other related activities
Next steps and Objectives for the 17th meeting
Post-meeting sessions
Planning meetings for Workgroups (if desired)
1/29/2018
WG-16 Pretoria, South Africa

22. WG-16 Pretoria, South Africa
So, Let’s begin…
1/29/2018
WG-16 Pretoria, South Africa