The Indonesia’s Network of Mayors for Inclusive Cities unites policymakers who are at the forefront of policy innovation and action to promote the full social participation of persons with disabilities. Twenty-two Mayors from across Indonesia, together with the heads of the municipal social welfare agencies, are participating in the event that places spotlight on participatory approaches to data collection and analysis.

The full participation of everyone, including the world’s one billion persons with disabilities, is necessary for the realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its promise of peace and prosperity for all. Yet, persons with disabilities continue to experience systematic exclusion through negative attitudes, stigma, discrimination and lack of accessibility in physical and virtual environments.

Data is the most powerful tool in the hands of the policymakers trying to build disability inclusive environments, but the right type of data – timely, disaggregated and fit-for-purpose – is often a scarce commodity. Without good data, policy experimentation is ineffective and often wasteful.

How can we plug the persisting gaps in disability data?

The Indonesian city of Banjarmasin has an answer – participatory data collection and management methodology, piloted in the city by an Indonesian NGO Kota Kita in partnership with UNESCO. The project directly engaged the persons with disabilities living in Banjarmasin through field surveys, interviews, focus group discussions, and data analysis and mapping, leading to the joint production of a comprehensive disability profile of the city.

View the video “Paddling Together, Towards Disability-inclusive Banjarmasin," which captures the key aspects of the project (Indonesian version is also available).
Download the two documents produced through this initiative (in Indonesian):

• Banjarmasin City: a Disability-Inclusive City Profile (English version; Indonesian version)
• Toolbox of Practice and Program Ideas: Disability-inclusive City of Banjarmasin (English version; Indonesian version)

UNESCO and its partners at all levels of government and civil society will continue to work for and with persons with disabilities to erase the barriers to social inclusion and to protect, promote and fulfill their rights. This work directly contributes to the achievement of SDG 10 (reducing inequalities), SDG 11 (building sustainable cities and communities), and SDG 16 (promoting peace, justice and strong institutions).

For more information, please contact Irakli Khodeli, Programme Specialist for Social and Human Sciences at UNESCO Jakarta Office (i.khodeli(at)unesco.org).