The Sunday News
Ayanda Dlamini, Sunday News Reporter
THE Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency has adopted measures to improve disability data collection during next year’ Population and Housing census.
Zimstat revealed this during the Strengthening Disability Data Collection in Zimbabwe National Census 2022 virtual training for Zimstat staff delivered by the Centre for Inclusive Policy (CIP) last week that it has adopted the “Short Set of Questions” on functioning for use during the coming census.
Speaking during the virtual training, Zimstat director for Population Census and Social Statistics Mr Aluwsio Mukavhi said the questions would improve quality of data and shed light on the lives of the disabled.
“The importance of official statistics bearing the traits of quality is a culmination of vital processes and procedures that derive from the quest to employ scientific methods in producing information to promote and fasten decision making. It is against this background that Zimstat adopted the Short Set of Six Questions on functioning for use during the 2022 Population and Housing Census as one of the modules of the questionnaire,” he said.
Mr Mukhavhi said the six questions, which were developed, tested and adopted by the Washington Group on Disability Statistics, reflect the World Health Organisation’s International Classification of Functional Disability and Health conceptual framework.
He said the Washington Group on Disability Statistics’ Short Set of Questions were recommended as they were in line with national development frameworks such as National Development Strategy 1 and Vision 2030, as well as regional and international agendas such as Africa Agenda 2063 and the sustainable development goals.
“These recommendations are the latest in a growing body of endorsements for a method that can be quickly and inexpensively added to censuses, surveys, and research efforts to generate disaggregated, internationally comparable data that provides new insights into how people with disabilities fare in global health and development efforts In that context, Zimstat adopted the six shot of questions for regional and international comparability.”
Human Rights adviser to the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office, Ms Fiona Adolu, said a human rights-based approach to collection of data which ensures that marginalised groups in society are represented and that inequalities in society are understood should be adopted.
The virtual training comes at a time when the country is preparing for the 2022 National Census and complements the National Disability Policy which was adopted by the country this year.
