This document summarizes a study in Tanzania that gathered qualitative data from people with disabilities and older adults to inform the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Peer researchers collected 106 stories on priorities like education, health, and poverty. In education, they found a lack of investment in inclusive schools, untrained teachers, and inaccessible infrastructure. The stories described experiences with humiliation from teachers and a lack of accessible learning materials. To address these issues, the peer researchers recommended increasing teacher training, adapting curriculums, sensitizing parents, and teaching respect for all. Overall, the document argues that qualitative data provides a deeper understanding of issues than quantitative data alone and should be included in SDG assessments.

1. Counting the
“Invisible”?
The need for
qualitative
data
Marion Steff, PhD
6th December 2016
Plan Conference,
Nepal

2. Facts SDG 4
 Inclusion: mentioned 1 time (in the overall goal #4)
 Disabilities: mentioned 4 times (4.5 and 4.a)
 Girls: mentioned 2 times (4.1 and 4.2)
 Women: mentioned 2 times (4.3 and 4.6)
 Vulnerability: mentioned 2 times (4.5)
The world has a very clear message coming from the United Nations: everyone
has an equal right to quality inclusive education no matter their ethnic group,
age, gender, disability, or belief system.

3. What is missing?
Qualitative data! It is not mentioned at
all in the SDGs
Good news?
 UN is open to creative and innovative
combinations of quantitative and
qualitative information to support
understanding
 Data collection is based at national
level, with a chance for us to
influence review processes to reach
people who are the most left behind

5. The study in Tanzania
Purpose: To gather the voices of
women and men with disabilities and
older people, and provide qualitative
input to inform Agenda 2030 and the
SDGs.
Methodology: Community-based
participatory research
.

6. Data collection & analysis
26 people trained to become peer
researchers:
• Women and men with disabilities,
• Older people
• Local NGOs staff
They collected and analysed 106
stories in their communities (urban &
local)

7. Eight priority themes
Peer researchers identified 8 priorities themes for policy focus & advocacy
efforts:
 Access to education and quality learning
 Access to health services
 Issues fed back from NGOs
 Poverty relating to income & dependence
 Attitudes towards witchcraft & albinism
 Relationships difficulties & marriage breakdowns
 Sexual violence & gender issues
 Poor treatment from family

8. Findings in education
• Little investment from the government in supporting inclusive education
• Teachers are not adequately trained to teach children with disabilities
• Schools infrastructures are not accessible
• The community does not engage in supporting access to education for
children with disabilities
• Families does not send their children with disabilities to schools because of
different reasons (cost, illness, etc.)
• There is free education policy for children with disabilities in Tanzania but it is
not implemented and parents still have to pay school fees

9. Passages from stories on education (1/2)
“When I was discharged from the dispensary, I lost my hearing. I continued to
stay with my aunt at home while using drugs prescribed at the hospital and felt
better. When I came back from the hospital, I could not hear properly. I was bright
but I started to drop in the class… I left school because I could not hear what was
being taught so I saw no importance in school”
Person with hearing impairment, 18 years, Nachingwea district
“When I attended school, I was humiliated by teachers and decided to quit. I was
the only person with albinism in the class. For example, the teacher would tell me
that I had to sit at the front because I had a visual problem and could not see
well, but in fact, I was already in the front seat [and could not be closer]”
Person with albinism, 19 years, Nachingwea district

10. Passages from stories on education (2/2)
“When I was in primary school, I would
tell the teacher that I could not see. I
would ask: ‘Can you please read for
me?’ but the teacher would say: ‘ Why
do you come to school if you cannot
see?’. Besides, there were no user-
friendly learning materials.”
Person who is blind, 25 years, Kibaha
district

11. Ways forward
Peer researchers suggested a number of ways forward to share with the
Tanzania government. For instance, they recommended the following:
• More teachers should be trained to provide quality inclusive education for
learners with disabilities
• Curriculums should be flexible and adapt to the needs of learners
• Parents of children with disabilities should be sensitised to the importance of
taking their children to school to receive an education
• Communities should be made aware of the importance of supporting families
with a member having a disability
• Curriculums should teach about the importance of respecting and caring for
each other
• Older people should be listened to as their life experience is invaluable

12. Recommendations & conclusion
 Qualitative data brings a deeper understanding of the issue
 The data is linked to human experience and this is more compelling and
powerful than data gathered through quantitative research
 Qualitative data reveals issues that could not be exposed with the sole use of
quantitative data
 Statistical analysis should be a complement to, not a substitution for,
qualitative assessments.
 We need to engage in advocating for the use of different data sources in the
SDGs, including qualitative data, perceptions data and citizen-generated data.

13. For more information
Email: msteff@sightsavers.org
Visit: www.sightsavers.org/voices
Tweet: @sightsavers_pol
Thank you