Article 31: Data Collection and Statistics
Statistical Institute of Turkey (TÜİK) is in charge of preparing the country’s official statistics program
and to comply, evaluate and publish statistics on the country’s economic, social, demographic, cultural,
environmental and scientific issues. In addition, various ministries collect data on their area of
responsibilities. Apart from TÜİK, The General Directorate of Services for Persons with Disabilities
and Elderly (EYHGM) collects statistical data on persons with disabilities.
TÜİK systematically publishes statistics in various areas. However, there is no statistical data on
persons with disabilities in the fields of education, health, employment etc. For example, despite child
marriage being a controversial area in Turkey, there is no data on how many children with disabilities
who have experienced child marriages. Similarly, data on suicides or divorces for persons with
disabilities remain unknown as well.
The data published by the General Directorate of Services for Persons with Disabilities and Elderly
(EYHGM) is prepared based on the database formed by persons with disabilities who have obtained a
40% disability medical report, and registered to the ministry database. This data is related only to social
assistance. The General Directorate of Services for Persons with Disabilities and Elderly (EYHGM)
also publishes various other statistical data collected by other ministries.
Regarding the published data on persons with disabilities in Turkey, there are five main problems. First
of all, there is no data collection policy and system with a human rights based approach. Numerical data
is collected not for revealing access to human rights for different groups, but only for those who already
have access to certain right and are able to benefit from social assistance. No data is collected or
analyzed regarding the reasons of persons who cannot access their rights and the reasons behind it.
Secondly, the data is not disaggregated. The published data has information concerning only gender
and types of disabilities. However, data on persons with disabilities who are at risk of multiple
discrimination is either not collected at all or disclosed to the public.
Thirdly, the data is not comparable. TÜİK uses a sample group and The General Directorate of Services
for Persons with Disabilities and Elderly (EYHGM) uses the data only based on persons with disabilities
who have obtained a 40% disability medical report and registered to the database.
Fourthly, data is not collected systematically or by regular intervals. This situation makes it impossible
to measure changes in the lives of persons with disabilities and to find out problematic fields. Finally,
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