Opening statement by Ms. Rola Dashti , Under-Secretary General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of ESCWA

ESCWA Disability Framework: 115 indicators to bridge the gap between policy and statistics, is the first three-dimensional disability framework that maps disability-related indicators to three major development frameworks: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Framework and its 115 indicators embodies a major step forward in bridging the gap between policy and statistics and monitor progress made. The Framework will be an important tool for guiding efforts at the national, regional and global levels to harmonize the production of comparable data. It will facilitate reporting on the situation of persons with disabilities in critical disability-inclusive development goals. These include inclusive education, employment, empowerment, health and justice. The framework will, through improved disability statistics, provide a clearer picture to compare persons with disabilities and those with no disabilities. The framework will also assist data producers to provide valuable and better information for policymakers to ensure that all people with disabilities everywhere and anywhere are indeed included.

This bulletin explores the connection between innovative capacity building and the ability of stakeholders to implement the SDGs.