Relevant Disaggregations

12.3.1 Relevant Disaggregations

The 11 th Malaysia Plan prioritises gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and geographic location as the key markers for an inclusive Malaysia where no-one is left behind. The five priority groups identified by the Malaysian Innovation Foundation (YIM), tasked with promoting inclusive innovation, are: children, youth, women, rural populations and people with disabilities. As mentioned elsewhere in this report, vulnerable groups that may not benefit equally from science, technology and innovation include female headed-households, the elderly, youth, ethnic minorities, displaced populations, remote communities living away from services, and people with a disability. Other groups mentioned are prisoners, indigenous people, street children and the LGBTI community.

The SDG framework emphasises the importance of disaggregation, in particular, by sex, age and geography, including rural-urban location. The international statistical community through its highest decision-making body, the United Nations Statistical Commission, has taken on responsibility for achieving the new level of ambition required for adequate data disaggregation. The overarching principle of disaggregation agreed on by the Inter-agency Expert Group on SDG Indicators is:

“Sustainable Development Goal indicators should be disaggregated, where relevant, by income, sex, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability and geographic location, or other characteristics, in accordance with the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics”. 12

Consultations conducted as part of this study suggest the priority variables needed for analysing social inclusion in Malaysia are sex, age, ethnicity and geographical location. Household composition and marital status were also highlighted as important for monitoring vulnerable groups such as single mothers. A conclusive set of variables for disaggregation is difficult to establish in the short time frame of this study and most likely not appropriate for such a broad agenda as STI. The demands for data very much ‘depend’ on the issue being explored and the context of the particular policy being

monitored or evaluated. However, based on information gathered, sex, age, geography and ethnicity come through as the highest priorities for measuring social inclusiveness of the NPSTI.

Sex-disaggregated data provides the basis for identifying similarities and differences between the situation of women and men, girls and boys and conducting gender analysis. When the national statistical system collects information about an individual, their sex (e.g. female or male) should be a standard variable included in the data capture. Furthermore, information gathered on firms and institutions can also provide data about individuals, such as the number and characteristics of the owner(s) and employees. The importance of collecting, producing and using gender statistics is emphasised in the national strategic plan and the SDG framework. It should clearly be a priority.

10 OECD & EU. 2005. Oslo Manual: Guidelines for Collecting and Interpreting Innovation Data. 11 OECD. 2002. Frascati Manual 2002: Proposed Standard Practice for Surveys on Research and Experimental

Development.

12 United Nations Economic and Social Council. 2016. Forty-seventh session of the Statistical Commission. Report of the Inter-Agency and Expert Group on Sustainable Development Goal Indicators.

The United Nations minimum set of gender indicators includes some related to the STI sector:  Proportion of individuals using the Internet, by sex.

 Proportion of individuals using mobile/ cellular telephones, by sex.  Proportion of households with access to mass media (radio, TV, Internet), by sex of household

head.  Share of female science, engineering, manufacturing and construction graduates at tertiary leve.l 13

Disaggregating data by age or age-groups is necessary to monitor the target groups of children (age 0- 14), youth (age 15-24 years) and the elderly (age 65 years and above). Statistics on these populations most relevant to monitoring the NPSTI include access to technologies, such as those indicators relating to internet and mobile phone access outlined above.

Geography is an essential variable for monitoring inclusiveness in Malaysia and how the role of science, technology and innovation contributes to greater inclusion of geographically marginalised groups. For example, higher levels of poverty among remote rural communities emphasise the need for data on whether the benefits of science, technology and innovation are reaching both urban and rural populations, as well as each state. An assessment on boosting innovation is recommended to take advantage of natural resources and traditional knowledge in addition to advanced high technology sectors, particularly in the rural areas of Sarawak and Sabah. This could involve excluded groups

including those economically disadvantaged in remote rural areas. 14

Ethnicity is a key issue in Malaysia and data are typically disaggregated by four ethnic groups: Bumiputera, Chinese, Indians and Others. People of Bumiputera ethnicity may be further

disaggregated to Malays, Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia and indigenous people of Sabah and Sarawak.