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surveys, is making continuous progress in the measurement of disability. Strengthening definitions and data systems for monitoring and addressing disability is critical for defining and monitoring progress towards well-being and participation. Enhanced international cooperation to this end is more vital than ever before. 232. According to the responses to the global survey, the primary issue of concern relevant to persons with disabilities that is being addressed by countries is “ensuring a general education system where children are not excluded on the basis of disability”. It is worth noting that 82 per cent of countries, that is, all except 28 (13 in Africa, 6 in Asia, 6 in the Americas, 2 in Europe and 1 in Oceania) were committed to implementing this commitment. The level of concern around this issue was inversely proportional to the countries’ population growth and directly proportional to the countries’ income level. 233. Secondly, 78 per cent of countries expressed the need to “strengthen comprehensive habilitation and rehabilitation services and programmes”, with no major regional differences observed, and 77 per cent of countries reported “creating employment opportunities for persons with disabilities”. The number and percentage of countries that do not address the issue is small in Europe (8 per cent), Asia (10 per cent) and the Americas (19 per cent) and larger in Oceania (54 per cent) and Africa (38 per cent). This may suggest that a higher percentage of wealthier countries have committed themselves to addressing this issue during the past five years than poorer ones. 234. The issues of “developing infrastructure to ensure access on an equal basis with others” (68 per cent), “ensuring the same rights and access to sexual and reproductive health services, including HIV prevention” (65 per cent) and “guaranteeing equal and effective legal protection against discrimination” (60 per cent) are addressed by about 6 in 10 countries globally; the proportion is below the world average in Oceanic and African countries. States should guarantee persons with disabilities, in particular young people, the right to health, including sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well as the right to the highest standard of care, ensuring that people with disabilities are partners in programming and implementation, and policy development, monitoring and evaluation, taking into account the structural factors that hinder the exercise of these rights. 235. “Providing support to families caring for persons with disabilities” is addressed by 61 per cent of countries, and again the level of concern is proportional to the countries’ income level and inversely proportional to the countries’ population growth. Although 59 countries did not address this issue during the past five years, considerable differences are observed regionally. While 88 per cent of European countries reported addressing the issue, only 39 per cent of the countries in Oceania and 39 per cent of those in Africa (the majority) did so. 236. Finally, the issue which elicited the least commitment from countries was “promoting equality by taking all appropriate steps to ensure that reasonable accommodation is provided in all aspects of economic, social, political and cultural life”, which was not a priority issue for 47.9 per cent of countries, most of them in Africa (23), Asia (23) and Oceania (10), and most of them poorer and fast-growing. 237. Increasing “accessibility and mobility” for persons with disabilities is among the top five priorities for half or more of countries at the lower end and middle of the income spectrum (low-income: 50 per cent; lower-middle-income: 59 per cent;
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