DATA COLLECTION AND RESEARCH OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN THE GAMBIA

Data Collection is simply an exercise whereby a statistic or number of a population or specific groups of persons are collected and compiled or recorded. Data collection is indeed essential in order to know an estimate of a number within a country or community. This article will be focused on Persons With Disabilities. That is, I will find out the institution so responsible for Data Collection in The Gambia.

Data collection of persons with disabilities in the Gambia is conducted every ten years by the Gambia bureau of statistics during the national population and housing census.
As the Gambia has signed and ratified the united nations convention on the rights of persons with disability in which article 31 of the convention addresses the issue of data collection providing the obligation upon state parties to gather and make available data relating to Persons With Disability.
Research has shown that since the Gambia signed the CRPD it has never conducted a national disability survey, the last national disability survey conducted was in the year 1998 which was funded by the UNICEF.
Another information I happened to note is that, also, another survey in terms of Data Collection was conducted by Gambia Bureau of Statistics. However, it is just worthy of note. It has been faced by wide and strong critizisms that it was not done in proper way and thus, has to be disapproved and not relied upon.

In conclusion, having realized that Data Collection is very essential that can help the Gambia Federation of Disabled, Gambia Government, Non Governmental Organisationand other relevant authorities will know and determine the number of Persons With Disabilities and will be able to determine and allocate the right budget and costs for their needs. Their needs can simply be assessed without much difficulty.