Republic of Zambia
Central Statistical Office
IDENTIFYING USES AND USERS OF CENSUS DATA
Presented by Nchimunya Nkombo
Pretoria, South Africa
24th March 2014
Main user groups of Census data in Zambia
• The Main User Groups for Census Data include
– Government
• Public Administration
• Local Administration
– Research Institutions, Universities, Other Academia
– Parastatals and Other Business Community (Private)
– International Organizations
– NGOs
– Media
– General public
Identifying Census User needs
• Census data are used for public and private sector
policy making, planning, Monitoring and Evaluation
and for administrative and research purposes.
– Housing data - used as benchmark housing statistics
and for formulating housing policy and
programmes.
• Government
• Central Government – Elections (Eligible Voters),
Education, Health facilities, Labour Market, Targeting
Assistance (e.g. Social Cash Transfer), Amenities e.g.
Communication facilities,
Identifying Census User needs
• Local Government
– Uses Census data to determine the setting up
Local Infrastructure
– advocate for local development e.g. Provision
of Access roads, other amenities
– and residential housing development
– Demarcation of Administrative boundaries
Identifying Census User needs
• Research Institutions, Universities, Academics
– Census Data used in analyses in various fields e.g. economic
and social development.
• Mostly request for detailed, non-aggregated information.
• Identity of the population is protected.
• International Organizations
– Enhancing analysis for topical issues
• the World bank Project with CSO on Poverty mapping
• UNFPA in-depth analysis
– Used at various levels to help Zambia shape its policies
•
Identifying Census User needs
• Parastatals and Other Business Community (Private)
– Demographic factors used in market research (to attract
new Business)
• For site selection for industrial, retail and service facilities,
• Commercial and residential development e.g. NHA housing
• NGOs
– Use the Data for Lobbying and production of advocacy
materials on particular subjects
• Media
– Cooperated with the Media at all stages of the Census;
• Media uses Census data in their reporting especially as backgound
information for particular situations and cases.
Identifying Census User needs
• Some Census products are used by almost all
Stakeholders e.g.
– Projections report 2011 -2035 – used by almost all
Users for planning future development.
– Urbanization and Migration Report – the
movement patterns give an idea of future
population concentration
From User Consultation to Developing a
Census Data utilization Strategy
• Stakeholders Consultation held at every stage of Census;
– Aim - to obtain buy-in from stakeholders, e.g.
• The Government (Very High Commitment)
• the Media (Available at all Implementation Stages),
• Donors (Financial and Technical Support)
– Outcome - Comprehensive, widely agreed upon Census
products.
– Consultations and eventual buy in led to endorsement of
the census results and products.
• We have not had any stakeholders disputing the results
Efforts to Enhance the utilization of
Census Data
• Small Area Estimation – Use of the Census data together
with the LCMS to come up with Poverty estimates at
lower levels, (Poverty Mapping with TA from the World
Bank).
– First one was 2003 using 2000 Census
– April 2014 - using 2010 census
• Plan to triangulate the Census Maternal Mortality data
with the Maternal Mortality Survey (MMS) data for
districts where the pilot MMS is being implemented.
(Validate Census estimates).
Efforts to Enhance the utilization
of Census Data
• UNFPA is currently supporting training in, indepth analysis of Census data
– training held in February 2014
– Follow up - planned for April/may 2014
• Efforts to have a Table Retrieval System
running on the website
– for users to access the Census basic tabulations
and do their own analysis.
Efforts to Enhance the utilization
of Census Data
• Disseminating the provincial Census reports in the
provinces
• Compliment Data dissemination with training;
– Preliminary discussions held with DFID to orient
Provincial/District Planners on the interpretation and use
of Census Results
• Attending to Customized data Requests
– Customized tables for identifying eligible households for
Child Grants, Vulnerable Households and Incapacitated
households (UNICEF/MCDSS).
Efforts to Enhance the utilization
of Census Data
• The Office is making efforts to be flexible,
focused and responsive to Census data
demands and new innovation.
• In future, some products will have to be
developed as a response to repeated user
requests and/or emerging needs.
Program for Continuous
Communication with Users
• 2010 Procedural (Administrative) report being finalized
– Major recommendation – Create a permanent Census
Office (Implementation has started).
– Census Office – Continuous coordination of the
Census Activities
– Engaging Stakeholders to make sure the Census
programme is not seen as a one off Activity
• Continuous releases of the Census results from the new
analyses.
Program for Continuous
Communication with Users
• Enhancing the dissemination modes and segmenting
the Information
– Census Articles in the CSO Monthly Bulletin –
Ongoing
– Brochures and Fliers:- produced for different
Census Topic and written in simple and easily
comprehensible language.
– Circulating various Census products on CDs
– Posters presented at National Fairs e.g. Trade Fair
Thank you for listening