June 10th 2026 – at the Permanent Mission of Mexico to the United Nations and online
Disability data is essential for monitoring the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Under Article 31, States Parties commit to collecting, disaggregating and disseminating statistical and research data in accessible formats. This evidence helps document the situation of persons with disabilities, identify barriers and enablers, and inform advocacy, policymaking and evaluation.
Recognizing the CRPD’s 20th anniversary, this side event spotlighted progress in statistics and data collection since the Convention’s adoption in 2006. It also identified remaining gaps and priorities for future implementation. It highlighted data initiatives since 2006, including organizations of persons with disabilities (OPD)-led data projects, and good examples of inclusive disability data processes throughout the data value chain. It also emphasized the importance of disability-disaggregated statistics: statistics broken down by disability status.
Here, data includes both qualitative and quantitative information. It includes government-collected data, for instance, by national statistical offices (NSOs), as well as citizen data collected by various stakeholders, including OPDs, communities, and NGOs. Recording available here (with International Sign interpretation):
Recording available here (with International Sign interpretation):
What Did Speakers Say?
Ambassador Porfirio Thierry Muñoz Ledo
Ambassador Porfirio Thierry Muñoz Ledo delivered opening remarks. Twenty years after the Convention’s adoption, he emphasized the importance of accurate, timely, and disaggregated disability data. These data are essential for advancing human rights and developing effective, evidence-based public policies.
He highlighted the importance of using internationally recognized approaches, such as the Washington Group (WG) question sets, to improve the collection and understanding of disability data. Mexico incorporated the WG short set into its 2020 Population and Housing Census, strengthening its inclusive statistical system. The census estimated that 16.5% of the population—more than 20 million people—live with a disability.
The Ambassador’s statement concludes by reaffirming Mexico’s commitment to improving accessible and comparable data systems through collaboration with governments, international organizations, academia, civil society, and persons with disabilities to support more inclusive and equitable societies.
Ahmed Ghanem (United Nations Global Disability Fund Secretariat)
Ahmed Ghanem introduced the speakers and moderated this event.
Dr Elizabeth Lockwood (CBM Global Disability Inclusion)
Dr Elizabeth Lockwood provided a summary of progress and remaining gaps of citizen data initiatives, including OPD-led data projects with CBM Global and key partners. She shared lessons learned and areas of continued focus. Lockwood underscored that Article 31 and the 2030 Agenda have been key to strengthening disability data, emphasizing the importance of OPD-led citizen data collection.
Dr. Daniel Mont (Center for Inclusive Policy)
Dr. Daniel Mont outlined the development and rationale of various Washington Group on Disability Statistics tools. These include tools developed in collaboration with ILO and UNICEF. He also discussed tools currently under development.
He noted that there are a set of tools from the Washington Group to collect extensive, quality, internationally comparable disability data, though certain challenges remain.
The presentation first explained the Washington Group Short Set (WG-SS). It then covered longer question sets that address WG-SS shortcomings. Finally, it explored modules for collecting environmental information in settings such as the labor force and education.
Dulamsuren Jigjid (CBM Global and Culture Centre of the Deaf Mongolia)
Dulamsuren Jigjid proposed the principle of “Nothing about us without data.” He noted that good-quality disability data is essential for putting the CRPD into practice.
Jigjid emphasized that OPDs aren’t just data subjects. They are key leaders in collecting, interpreting, and using disability data. Their involvement helps ensure that policies and decisions accurately reflect the lived experiences of persons with disabilities. When OPDs lead data collection, they help make the voices of persons with disabilities visible, strengthening more inclusive, evidence-based advocacy and policymaking.
Prof. Sophie Mitra (Fordham University and Disability Data Initiative (DDI))
Prof. Sophie Mitra introduced the initiative and shared results from the DDI’s Disability Statistics – Questionnaire Review (DS-QR) database showing that most countries have collected functional difficulty questions, including the Washington Group short set, in population censuses and household surveys.
However, there remain disability data gaps in some countries and/or for some topics. She recognized that piecemeal data collection often prevents monitoring rights over time. Countries need to collect disability data systematically and regularly to enable worldwide monitoring of CRPD implementation.
Dr. Bradley Carpenter (South Africa Medical Research Council and DDI)
Dr. Bradley Carpenter presented results from the DDI’s Disability Statistics – Estimates (DS-E) database. While many countries have collected disability data through population censuses and household surveys, often, the data has not been analyzed to produce disability-disaggregated statistics and therefore is not usable. Even when the disability-disaggregated statistics are produced, they may not be accessible by non-specialists. The DDI’s DS-E database has disaggregated statistics in interactive and downloadable formats from 65 countries for 35 indicators.
Carpenter emphasized the need for stakeholder engagement and capacity building. These efforts help people analyze disability data and use it for advocacy and policymaking.
Juan Ángel De Gouveia (IDA, RIADIS)
Juan Ángel De Gouveia stressed that disability data should be used to measure exclusion and to make inclusion unavoidable. IDA has worked with OPDs globally to generate evidence from lived experience and collective knowledge. IDA’s experience shows that disability data becomes more truthful when persons with disabilities help produce it.
But this requires investment. OPDs cannot carry the burden of evidence through unpaid labour, short-term projects, or symbolic consultation. They must be supported as researchers, trainers, enumerators, analysts and accountability actors. De Gouveia argued that as we look to the next twenty years of the CRPD, Article 31 must help us do more than count persons with disabilities; it must help societies advance inclusion.
Iiro Toikka (Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare)
Iiro Toikka noted that Article 31 is not only a technical provision but a cornerstone of rights, participation, and accountability.
While significant progress has been made through the Washington Group methodology and greater involvement of organizations of persons with disabilities, major data gaps and inconsistent use of data remain. Toikka emphasized that meaningful participation – applying a “Nothing About Us Without Us” approach – is essential to producing better data that informs policy.
Ultimately, disability data must drive inclusion, remove barriers, measure progress, and strengthen accountability.
Cosponsors
Permanent Mission of Mexico to the United Nations. CBM Global Disability Inclusion. International Disability Alliance (IDA). UN Global Disability Fund. Fordham University Research Consortium on Disability. Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.
