The government of Senegal has launched an action plan to collect inclusive data that accurately represents people with disabilities and other marginalised groups.

The Inclusive Data Charter (IDC) is a global initiative that supports governments and organisations to put inclusivity at the heart of data systems. Many people, particularly people with disabilities, remain invisible and uncounted in data, and therefore are not considered in decisions that affect their lives. In signing up to the IDC, organisations commit to developing an action plan outlining the steps they will take to improve the quality of their data and ensure that it includes everyone.

The government of Senegal developed its IDC action plan supported by Sightsavers and partners including CONGAD (Council of Non-governmental Development Support Organisations), and in consultation with local councils, ministries from different sectors including health and education, civil society organisations and representatives of marginalised groups, including people with disabilities.

Launched in Dakar in December 2022, the event was attended by 50 civil society and ministry representatives and chaired by the president of CONGAD, the Director General at the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Cooperation, representatives from the Federation of People with Disabilities, the Mayor’s Association Vice President and Sightsavers’ Senegal country director.

The plan outlines the steps that will be taken to prevent some population groups, including people with disabilities, from being invisible in official data. Its main objective is to collect more specific data based on characteristics such as gender and disability at national, regional and local levels. This work is being done in line with the Senegal emergent plan and the government’s national strategy on the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals to leave no one behind.

Senegal’s IDC action plan focuses on strengthening policies at a local and national level, improving data disaggregation and using other data sources such as civil society data to complement official data, and ensuring that disaggregated data is better reflected in national statistics to inform the government’s planning and monitoring.

Sightsavers’ Senegal country director, Salimata Bocoum, said: “We are delighted to see the government of Senegal taking action on inclusive data. The IDC action plan is the culmination of more than four years’ work and I’m very proud that Sightsavers, working alongside partners and representatives from marginalised groups, has been involved in this work from the very beginning and that the government has committed to developing the action plan collaboratively. The important thing now is to implement and evaluate the plan using the same community engagement and consultative practices which led to its development.”