The Government of Pakistan invited ESCAP to co-organize a national stakeholder consultation on disability data collection in Islamabad, Pakistan from 27 February to 1 March 2018. Accordingly, a three-day consultation took place involving senior policymakers, statisticians and disability experts from government agencies, disabled people’s organizations and UN agencies located in Pakistan.
Following agencies participated in the consultation:
- Governments: Ministry of Human Rights; Ministry of Statistics; Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination; Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training; Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resources Development; Ministry of Information, Broadcasting, National History and Literary Heritage; Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication; Ministry of Communication; Ministry of Housing and Works; Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs; Election Commission of Pakistan; National Disaster Management Authority in the Prime Minister’s Office; Federal SDG Unit of the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reform.
- Disabled people’s organizations: CBM; Dar-ul-Sukun; Empower Persons with Disabilities (EPWD) Handicap International; HelpAge International; National Forum of Women with Disabilities (NFWWD); Pakistan Foundation Fighting Blindness (PFFB); Rising Sun Education & Welfare Society; Sightsavers; Saaya Association; Sir Syed Deaf Association (SDA); Socio-Economic Development Association (SEDA); Special Persons Development Association (SPDA); Special Talent Exchange Program (STEP).
- United Nations: UNDP; UNFPA; UNICEF; UN Women; WHO and UN RCO.
The consultation reviewed the national statistical system in Pakistan from the disability perspective and discussed ways to collect more reliable and comparable disability data for evidence-based monitoring of national disability policies and programmes, as well as for reporting to global and regional mandates, e.g. Incheon Strategy indicators and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Based on the findings from the consultation, ESCAP will assist the Government of Pakistan to develop a national action plan on enhancing disability data collection.