National Conference 2021
1. The Data Crisis in Pakistan
Participants highlighted that the 2017 National Census failed to accurately count PWDs despite Supreme Court directives. The conference emphasized that without reliable data, the government and development partners cannot effectively address the needs of the disability sector.
2. Current Disability Statistics (PSLM 2019-20)
The conference shared vital findings from the most recent Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement survey:
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Total Estimated PWDs: Over 37 million people in Pakistan live with a disability.
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Severe Disabilities: 3.4% of the population.
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Functional Limitations: 10.7% of the population live with varying degrees of limitation in sight, hearing, mobility, or self-care.
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Regional Trends: Punjab has the highest proportion of PWDs (11.47%), while Balochistan has the lowest (9.0%).
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Age and Youth: Disability prevalence increases significantly after age 40. Adolescents and youth with disabilities account for 4.2% of the population.
3. The Digital Census 2022 Strategy
The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) confirmed that the 2022 Census will be entirely digital, utilizing geo-tagging. The conference advocated for:
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Asking questions of every individual within a household, rather than just the head of the house.
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Integrating specific, simple questions (based on the Washington Group of Short Questionnaire) to identify functional limitations accurately.
Core Recommendations for an Inclusive Census
The participants, divided into expert working groups, provided several critical recommendations for the 2022 Census:
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Terminology: Avoid using vague categories like “any other” (as learned from the 1998 census) and allow for multiple selections of disability types.
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Visibility of Invisible Disabilities: Specific focus must be placed on intellectual disabilities and upper body functional limitations, which are often overlooked.
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Assistive Devices: Include questions regarding the use of wheelchairs, hearing aids, or spectacles to map the future need for assistive technology.
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Public Awareness: Launch mass media campaigns before the census to educate families on why it is important to report a family member’s disability, removing the social stigma of “shame.”
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Training: Provide 700+ enumerators with specialized training on disability sensitivity to ensure data is collected respectfully and accurately.
Conclusion
The 2021 National Conference served as a call to action for the government to move from “medical definitions” of disability to a “rights-based functional model.” The CBID Network and its partners committed to long-term collaboration with the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics to ensure that the 2022 Census marks a turning point for disability rights in Pakistan.
Organized by: CBID Network Pakistan
Partners: Sightsavers International, HANDS Pakistan, and PBS.