Reliable, disaggregated and fit-for-purpose data is essential for the design, implementation and evaluation of any policy that aims to promote social inclusion of vulnerable groups, including persons with disabilities. In Indonesia, where the cities are often at the forefront of inclusive social policy innovation to fulfil the rights of persons with disabilities, the efforts of the government and the civil society are consistently hampered by the lack of relevant up-to-date and accurate data at the local and municipal levels.

One way for city authorities to bridge this gap and thereby strengthen the inclusive character of urban environments is by fostering closer links with persons with disabilities, increasing their participation in knowledge production and policy processes in order to enhance the impact and effectiveness of city-level policy and action. Such participatory approaches can also offer the possibility of mobilizing the skills and expertise of persons with disabilities and disabled persons organizations (DPOs) in inclusive planning.

UNESCO is partnering with Yayasan Kota Kita organization to respond to the manifest gap in disability data by applying the methodology developed by Kota Kita to collect and map data on various social indicators. This initiative is piloted in the city of Solo in West Java, with an aim to develop a scalable model that can be replicated in other cities of Indonesia. Through this inclusive and participatory exercise, the project will also strengthen the relationship between city authorities and citizens that are living with disabilities, through a mutually beneficial collaborative process.

Using the data and evidence collected through citizen participation, the initiative will create a City Profile of Disability in Solo. This city profile would be a model of how city data and evidence could be used to visualize conditions and experiences of disability at the city-scale, drawing on quantitative, qualitative, and anecdotal evidence. The model will be based on a methodology that could be replicated in other cities in Indonesia assisting in the development of disability-inclusive policy and practical solutions.

“Another City is Possible!” – Urban Social Forum 2016 and UNESCO Panel on Disability and Inclusive Cities