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Better insight into the figures of Belgian disability

The 2023 report from the Statistics Working Group / CIM Disability outlines the status of available data, identifies gaps, and proposes improvement suggestions.

Photo Close-up Of A Survey Spreadsheet
Photo Close-up Of A Survey Spreadsheet
Lukas © Pexels

1. Objectives & context of the report

The Interministerial Conference (CIM) Disability appointed a working group on July 5, 2022, tasked with strengthening statistical capabilities around disability in Belgium. The result of this assignment is the final 2023 note which was approved in December 2023. 

 

The tasks assigned to the working group are the following:

  • identifying gaps in existing statistics; 

  • making recommendations to improve access and quality of data; 

  • developing new statistics and facilitating their implementation. 

The note covers among other things the definition of the “person with a disability” (in accordance with Article 1 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities), inventories the available data sources (administrative and surveys), analyses the weaknesses, and proposes a statistical roadmap. 

 

 

2. Overview of existing data & important gaps

a) Available sources & inventories

The report distinguishes two major categories of sources:

  • Survey sources: population surveys such as those by Statbel, Sciensano, or other social or health surveys, which provide estimates of persons with functional limitations. 

  • Administrative sources: data from public bodies responsible for benefits, support services, recognition or social aid programs. The report emphasizes that these sources have great potential but are often fragmented. 

However, these sources are rarely harmonized. The definitions of disability, collection methods, surveyed periods or breakdown by characteristics (gender, age, type of disability, etc.) differ, making comparisons difficult. 

 

 

b) Identified weaknesses & gaps

Among the many listed shortcomings, the most notable are:

  • Heterogeneity of definitions: each organization applies its own criteria to define disability, level of independence, etc. 

  • Lack of detailed breakdown: there is little data by type of disability, age, gender, region, and duration of the disability. 

  • Absence of a global overview of beneficiaries: there is no integrated database that inventories all persons with a disability receiving benefits, aid or services (which consolidates administrative data). 

  • Delay or lack of updating: some important data are outdated or rarely updated. 

  • Institutional fragmentation: data exchange between ministries, between regional/federal administrations or between involved services (health, education, work) is not systematic. 

These gaps mean that the statistical picture of disability remains fragmented, has little flexibility to guide policy, and is difficult to compare over time or between areas.

  

3. Recommendations, perspectives & challenges

a) Harmonization & consolidation

  • Create a central ‘disability’ database that brings together administrative data from the involved bodies with shared definitions. 

  • Harmonize metadata and collection standards between entities to ensure comparability. 

  • Introduce the annual publication of detailed statistics as a requirement (by age, gender, type of disability, region). 

b) Sector development & intersectoral cooperation 

  • Systematically integrate ‘disability’ modules into sectoral surveys (work, education, housing, health). 

  • Promote linking data from services (e.g., social security, health, education, work) to better cross profiles. 

  • Open access for researchers, associations and institutions to utilize these data in policy development. 

c) Governance, monitoring & transparency 

  • Maintain the statistical working group of CIM Disability with regular meetings, an action plan and monitoring reports. 

  • Involve users and NGOs in methodological choices to ensure the statistics reflect their reality. 

  • Ensure personal data protection (anonymization, GDPR compliance) in every collection and publication. 

  • Implement recommendations step-by-step with clear milestones, but start now with linkages and improvements. 

Sources

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