Why conduct a Population
and Housing Census?
Margaret Mbogoni
United Nations Statistics Division
Regional Seminar on Promotion and Utilization of Census Results and on the Revision of he Principles and
Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses
24-26 March 2014, Pretoria, South Africa
Value of Census


Assess the quantity and quality of human
capital for a country at small area, regional and
national level
Provide answers to questions like:
o How many are we?
o Who are we?
─ Age, education, occupation, women/men, elderly, youth
o Where do we live?
− Housing and amenities
− Urban/rural
Regional Seminar on Promotion and Utilization of Census Results and on the Revision of he Principles and
Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses
2
24-26 March 2014, Pretoria, South Africa
Nothing New…..
 The population census is a statistical operation
of great value to every country. It is the
primary source of basic national population data
for administration and for many aspects of
economic and social planning
Source: Principles and Recommendations for National
Population Censuses (1958)
Regional Seminar on Promotion and Utilization of Census Results and on the Revision of he Principles and
Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses
24-26 March 2014, Pretoria, South Africa
Nothing New…..

The lack of adequate information about the population of the
world and of various countries and territories is a matter of
considerable concern to the United Nations and affiliated
international organizations, as well as to governmental
agencies, research institutions and individual scientists all over
the world. Such information is needed for studies of
international problems such as the production and distribution
of food supplies, conservation of resources, formulation of social
policies and raising standards of living in the world's problem
areas.
Source: Population Census Methods (1949)
Regional Seminar on Promotion and Utilization of Census Results and on the Revision of he Principles and
Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses
24-26 March 2014, Pretoria, South Africa
ECOSOC Resolution on 2010 World
Programme
 Stresses that, for a country as a whole and for
each administrative area therein, periodic
population and housing censuses are one of
the primary sources of data needed for
effective development planning and for the
monitoring of population issues and socioeconomic and environmental trends,
policies and programmes
 Emphasizes the importance of the 2010 World
Population and Housing Census Programme for
socio-economic planning
Regional Seminar on Promotion and Utilization of Census Results and on the Revision of he Principles and
Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses
24-26 March 2014, Pretoria, South Africa
ECOSOC Resolution on 2010 World
Programme (contd.)
 Urges Member States to carry out a
population and housing census and to
disseminate census results as an essential
source of information for small-area, national,
regional and international planning and
development
Regional Seminar on Promotion and Utilization of Census Results and on the Revision of he Principles and
Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses
24-26 March 2014, Pretoria, South Africa
“A census is not complete
until the information collected
is made available to potential
users in a form suited to their
needs”
(UN Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses,
DESA/SD , par. 1.206, pp. 49)
Regional Seminar on Promotion and Utilization of Census Results and on the Revision of he Principles and
Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses
24-26 March 2014, Pretoria, South Africa
Dissemination/Utilization Still Weak
Census dissemination can easily be overlooked in the chain of
providing a quality outcome for the census as management attention is
diverted to the costly and risky enumeration and processing operations
 Long delays between the end of enumeration and dissemination
 Limited census products possibly without taking into account
requirement of users
 Most dissemination through print statistical tables
 Some analytical reports
 Not much exploitation of modern technological tools for data
dissemination
 Consequently, no demonstrated benefits of the census to government,
general public (respondents)
Does not justify the resource spent (human and financial)…
Why should government fund census and general public provide
information if utility is not demonstrated?

Regional Seminar on Promotion and Utilization of Census Results and on the Revision of he Principles and
Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses
8
24-26 March 2014, Pretoria, South Africa
Enhancing Utilization
 Supply and demand for data for evidence-based
decision making
 Are there gaps between users’ needs and data
availability?
 What approaches could enhance data utilization?
 Improved accessibility  Utilization
 Communication strategies for diverse audiences,
including lay persons
o
Use of simple terminology
Regional Seminar on Promotion and Utilization of Census Results and on the Revision of he Principles and
Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses
24-26 March 2014, Pretoria, South Africa
Developing Dissemination Strategy







Users needs determine the Target
Data (and Metadata), Budget and Human resources – are the
Input
Technology and methodology – are enabling factors
Products and services – are the Output
Analyse users' needs and build a matrix of users, by products
and services that fit their needs
Identify the media of dissemination and technology to use
These could be done through users' surveys or by identifying
categories of users, current and potential, in order to
understand what they do and their needs, and to analyse how
census products can help them
Regional Seminar on Promotion and Utilization of Census Results and on the Revision of he Principles and
Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses
10
24-26 March 2014, Pretoria, South Africa
Refocused Role of Census for Evidencebased Decision Making
 Millennium Development Goals
o Monitoring at national level (Poverty Reduction
Strategies)
 Marrakesh action plan for statistics
o Data and indicators derived from the census
as inputs for result-based management and
tracking of progress towards national goals
(such as those set in PRSPs) and
international goals such as MDGs.
Regional Seminar on Promotion and Utilization of Census Results and on the Revision of he Principles and
Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses
24-26 March 2014, Pretoria, South Africa
Refocused Role of Census for Evidencebased Decision Making
 Post 2015 Development Agenda
o
Leave no one behind - The Report of the High-Level Panel
of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda
“Data must also enable us to reach the neediest,
and find out whether they are receiving
essential services. This means that data
gathered will need to be disaggregated by
gender, geography, income, disability, and
other categories, to make sure that no
group is being left behind.”
Regional Seminar on Promotion and Utilization of Census Results and on the Revision of he Principles and
Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses
24-26 March 2014, Pretoria, South Africa
Regional Seminar on Promotion and Utilization of Census Results and on the Revision of he Principles and
Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses
24-26 March 2014, Pretoria, South Africa
Thank You!
Regional Seminar on Promotion and Utilization of Census Results and on the Revision of he Principles and
Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses
24-26 March 2014, Pretoria, South Africa