Disability statistics
People with disabilities in the Pacific face deep inequalities and multiple barriers, despite steady progress in recognition of their rights. They constitute one of the most marginalised and vulnerable population groups in the region and are most at risk of being left behind. It is therefore necessary to have reliable, up-to-date and disaggregate data to inform policies that aim to address the barriers faced by persons with disabilities in all aspects of life.
SPC supports Pacific Island countries and territories with development of disability statistics to ensure the inclusion of persons with disability in official data and decision-making.
Pacific Group on Disability Statistics
The Pacific Group on Disability Statistics (PGDS) was formed in 2019 under the umbrella of the Washington Group to ensure that the Pacific produces disability statistics that are aligned to the international recommendations. The PGDS support Pacific Island countries in the production and use of reliable, valid, and comparable disability statistics through facilitation, cooperation, engagement, and capacity building, including South-South / peer-to-peer collaboration.
Membership in the PGDS comprises representatives from national statistics offices (NSOs), regional and international organisations and organisations for persons with disabilities (OPDs), as well as national disability focal points from respective countries. SPC provides the Secretariat. Current steering committee members include:
- SPC Statistics for Development Division
- Samoa Bureau of Statistics
- Kiribati National Statistics Office
- Fiji Bureau of Statistics
- Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat
- Pacific Disability Forum
- UNICEF
Use of WG-SS in Censuses and Surveys
PGDS Five goals by 2030
- All data collections—censuses and national surveys—in the Pacific include the Washington Group tools and implement them as intended.
- Data are analysed in a consistent and uniform manner—according to standardised regional templates.
- Results are disseminated according to a region-specific framework.
- A regional guidebook is developed to improve disability data collection and analysis.
- A Pacific regional disability monograph is produced.
PGDS Project 2024-2026
In 2024-2026, the Government of Australia is supporting SPC and the Pacific Group on Disability Statistics to undertake a multi-year project to strengthen disability statistics.
- Multiyear Workplan
- Presentation on the project : Pacific Disability Statistics Project - SIAP Webinar - 30 Oct 2024
Guidance and resources
Upcoming Events
Washington Group on Disability Statistics
The Washington Group on Disability Statistics promotes and coordinates international cooperation in the area of health statistics, focusing on the development of disability measures suitable for censuses and national surveys. The major objective of the Washington Group is to provide information on disability that is comparable throughout the world. To this end, the Washington Group questions are designed for populations living in a variety of cultures with varying economic resources.