Further Efforts Towards an Inclusive, Barrier-Free and Rights-based Society for Persons With Disability S in Asia and the Pacific

Strategy

C. Improving the availability and quality of data and other information on disabilities for policy formulation and implementation.

Strategy 13

38. The importance of collecting data on disabilities should be stressed and advocated not only within the United Nations system but also among decision makers at the national level, including national statistical offices, as well as academic institutions, self-help organizations and other civil society organizations.

Strategy 14

39. Governments are encouraged to develop policies or laws to mandate the collection of data on disabilities, as well as the allocation of the requisite resources. Such policies and laws should, among other things, respect the privacy of persons with disabilities.

Strategy 15

40. As far as possible, data should be classified by the socio-economic status of persons with disabilities, including the type of impairment, sex, age, education, employment and income.

Strategy 16

41. Governments should build national capacity so that data on disability can be regularly collected through population censuses and surveys and disseminated.

Strategy 17

42. Governments are encouraged to develop innovative methods of data collection in order to capture the needs of persons with disabilities, in particular those who are illiterate or who live in remote areas.

Strategy 18

43. Governments are encouraged to undertake regular assessments of the impact of policies and programmes which are intended to improve the situation of persons with disabilities and to ensure that they fully enjoy their human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Strategy 19

44. Governments, in cooperation with ESCAP, should, as appropriate, take measures to ascertain the concerns of disabled persons and to develop future action plans through questionnaires and surveys, depending on the availability of resources.

Strategy 20

45. ESCAP, other United Nations organizations, agencies and intergovernmental organizations, should, upon request, assist Governments in setting statistical standards and in formulating policy regarding persons with disabilities.