1304.5 - Stats Talk WA (Newsletter), Aug 2003  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 19/11/2003   
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Workshop: Developing Thailand's Disability Statistics


Chris Spencer (ABS, WA) and Dr Rossarin Gray (Mahidol University) at the workshop.

A capacity building workshop was conducted recently in Thailand (7-11 July) with the objective of improving Thailand's disability statistics. The workshop was sponsored by the Social Protection Facility and funded through AusAID.
Participants included staff from Thailand’s National Statistical Office (NSO) and the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (MSDHS). Dr Rossarin Gray (Institute of Population and Social Research at Mahidol University) and Chris Spencer (ABS, Perth) were co-mentors for the workshop.

The workshop was designed to bring NSO and MSDHS staff together so that they had a better appreciation of their respective roles in terms of producing and using disability statistics to:

  • analyse the existing situation regarding disability statistics
  • develop plans for improving the statistics
  • identify the learning needs of the participants

Chris presented a number of sessions at the workshop including an overview of the ABS, the status of disability statistics in Australia, National Statistical Service initiatives and information development plans. At the end of the workshop the group presented their views on the key issues that they would need to work on to achieve some tangible improvement in the quality and use of disability statistics. It is intended that the participants will visit Australia later this year to learn from the ABS and other agencies including the Australian Institute for Health and Welfare. Chris reported that the participants were an enthusiastic and friendly group of people who are keen to learn from the ABS and are looking forward to their visit to Australia.

While in Bangkok, Chris met with Lene Mikkelsen, Chief of the Statistics Development Section, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). Lene was very interested in the capacity building workshop as ESCAP will shortly be hosting a workshop on disability statistics for the ESCAP region in Bangkok. Joanne Hillermann, ABS Canberra, will attend this workshop.