CBM partners with International Centre for Evidence in Disability at 2019 Conference

The third annual conference on evidence in disability takes place today and tomorrow (5 and 6 November) at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, in partnership with CBM. As part of PENDA (Programme for Evidence to Inform Disability Action), a consortium led by the International Centre for Evidence in Disability, this event brings together academics, INGOs, policy makers and others working in research and evidence in Disability Inclusive Development.

CBM UK’s CEO, Kirsty Smith, today presented research by CBM in Nigeria into the perceptions of people with disabilities on access to healthcare. The study found that whilst over half of those taking part in the research felt that healthcare facilities were easy to use, many felt that waiting times and the attitudes of staff towards people with disabilities needed to be improved. Additionally, the study raised interesting questions about the impact of gender on research and the need for gender analysis and sensitivity throughout the process.

“Sometimes the unexpected findings from research are as useful as anticipated results. Who carries out the research and methodology used are as important as the content of the research and will have an impact on the findings. Where possible, we need to use both male and female researchers, who speak the local language, and to seek to ensure that some of the enumerators have direct experience of disability themselves. In doing this, we can increase the likelihood of all people feeling confident to participate, and improve the reliability of our data and evidence, and so the quality of our programmes.”

Kirsty is also moderating a panel on ways forward in gathering data and using evidence to create change, on day two.   

The conference promises to highlight new research findings and evidence, methodologies and tools that can be used to inform policy and practice, and so improve life for people with disabilities in the world’s poorest places.

Follow CBM UK at the conference on Twitter (open link in new tab) #ICED19