New data on disabilities

The extent of discrimination against children with disabilities has been difficult to quantify because of a lack of data. To address this, in 2005 UNICEF implemented a module in the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) designed to identify children with congenital and developmental disabilities, with results being reported here for the first time.

MICS data reveal a wide variation among countries in the percentage of children 2–9 years old who screened positive on disability, ranging from 2 per cent in Uzbekistan to 35 per cent in Djibouti.

LEVELS OF DISABILITY VARY WIDELY AMONG COUNTRIES...
Percentage of children aged 2–9 with at least one disability, in 17 countries surveyed (2005)


... AND WITHIN COUNTRIES: THE CASE OF CAMEROON
Percentage of children aged 2–9 with at least one disability (2005)

Variations in the rates of disability can be caused by children’s nutritional status, exposure to environmental risks, the occurrence of accidents or conflict, chronic and infectious disease patterns, and differences in public health services and practices. While the likelihood of disability thus varies depending on the country’s overall environment, research also suggests that there is a core incidence of children with disabilities in any given society, much of it related to congenital impairments.