Speakers at a workshop urged the government to count persons with disabilities properly in the upcoming 6th Population and Housing Census 2021 and Comprehensive Disability Survey.
They also suggested to follow the disability law and include recognized 12 types of disabilities in the question No 19 of the census questionnaire.
Access Bangladesh Foundation arranged the workshop titled “Engagement of OPDs in the 6th Population and Housing Census 2021 and Comprehensive Disability Survey” recently in association with partner Organizations of Persons with Disabilities-DCF, NCDW, Sitakund Federation, Turning Point and WDDF with the financial support of Disability Rights Fund.
The workshop was facilitated by Co-Founder and Executive Director Albert Mollah.
Mohua Paul, Co-Founder of Access Bangladesh delivered her welcome speech in the workshop. Albert Mollah oriented the leaders and representatives of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs)about Census 2021 and Comprehensive Disability Survey- background, objectives, need of census, questionnaire,ways of OPDs engagement in the upcoming Census and comprehensive disability survey. OPDs engagement strategy was formulated in consultation with all the participants in the workshop.
Albert Mollah pointed out that there is no reliable data on disability in Bangladesh for example, 2011 Census has put a figure of 1.41%, 2010 Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES-sample survey) estimates 9.07%, 2016 (HIES-Sample Survey)- 6.94%, and Disability Information System (nationwide) 2.17% (till December 2020).
So it is really important to address the problem in the 6th Population and Housing Census 2021 to plan and allocate resources appropriately for the development of persons with disabilities.
A set of recommendations to include persons with disabilities in the census 2021 and comprehensive disability survey was given in the workshop to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS).
The recommendations also include proper inclusion of persons with disabilities in the upcoming census 2021, awareness initiative through TV advertisement, mobile phone messages, poster, billboard, including 12 types of persons with disabilities in the question number 19 of the census questionnaire in line with the Rights and Protection of Persons with Disabilities Act 2013.
NazranaYeasmin of Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) said that MJF urges the partner organizations to work on inclusion of persons with disabilities in the upcoming census.
The Special Guest Shaheen Anam, Executive Director of MJFrequests the government to count persons with disabilities properly in the census.
The Chief Guest of the event Ghose Subobrata, Deputy Director General of BBS assured that they will try to follow the disability law and includerecognized 12 types of disabilities inthe question No 19 of the census questionnaire.
He also suggestedOPDs to communicate with the Upazila Statistics Officer for their systematic engagement in the census 2021.
He will also consider including the issue of disability in all awareness raising campaigns so that people with disabilities are not excluded from the census.In the workshop, representatives of 25 OPDs from Dhaka, Bandarban, Pabna, Rangpur and Mymensing participated.
