Results of the Pre-workshop
Questionnaire
Session 3
United Nations Statistics Division
Demographic Statistics Section
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Overview
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Topics covered by Census questionnaires
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Information from the Pre-workshop questionnaire
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Census Dates
Afghanistan: Household Listing in 2003-2005 and in 2009-2010
(last census in 1979)
Bangladesh: 2011 (field enumeration 15-19 March)
Bhutan: 2005 (31st May)
India: 2010 Housing Census (April–September);
2011 Population Enumeration (9th-28th February)
- Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Census Dates (contd.)
Maldives: 2006 (21-28 March)
Nepal: 2011 (22nd June)
Pakistan: 2011 (August-September)
- postponed and new date not yet announced
Sri Lanka: 2012 (20th March)
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Geographical and Internal Migration Characteristics
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
International Migration Characteristics
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Demographic and Social Characteristics
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Household Characteristics
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Fertility and Mortality
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Educational Characteristics
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Economic Characteristics
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Disability
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Housing Characteristics
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Housing Characteristics (contd.)
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Housing Characteristics (contd.)
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Housing Characteristics (contd.)
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Questionnaire on Census Data Dissemination
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Dissemination and archiving strategy
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Census products and services
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Technological tools
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Geographical Information Systems
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Data confidentiality and anonymization
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Meta-data and documentation
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Challenges
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Objectives of the Questionnaire
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To better understand census dissemination activities at the
country level
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To facilitate the sharing of experience on methods of census
dissemination among countries in the region
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Dissemination and Archiving Strategy
Plan/strategy for dissemination
Yes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
No Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Dissemination and Archiving Strategy
Plan/strategy for dissemination: components
Afghanistan: Yearbook; press release/conference; website (limited scale)
Bangladesh: preliminary report; national series (analytical),
district/community series
India: census publications, CD/DVD and official website; organization of
data dissemination workshops; census in school programme; work stations
in major universities are being set up to facilitate micro level research
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Dissemination and Archiving Strategy
Plan/strategy for dissemination: components
Pakistan: free census reports; website (important variables with regular
updates); micro-data on CDs (for sale); specific tabulations on demands (on
payment); continuous data supply process for national and international
agencies; Also reports for provisional results, (sub)national reports; for
agencies; thematic reports; (sub)national maps.
Sri Lanka: deciding basis of dissemination of standard census data (usual
residence); type of publication; time frame of publications
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Dissemination and Archiving Strategy
Dissemination schedule
Yes Bangladesh, Pakistan, India*
No
Afghanistan, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal
Afghanistan planned for the 2008 census but was postponed
because of security problems
* Under
process for the population and housing census
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Example
Dissemination schedule: Sri Lanka
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Dissemination and Archiving Strategy
Law/regulation for archiving micro-data
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In India: regulated by the 1948 census act and 1990 census rules;
http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011-Act&Rules/index.html
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Other countries do not have specific laws for archiving data
Bangladesh: law making is under process
(expected to be effective by end of the year)
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Dissemination and Archiving Strategy
Availability of an archiving system
Yes Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
No
Afghanistan, Maldives, Nepal
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Dissemination and Archiving Strategy
Availability of an archiving system
Bangladesh: tape (1981), CD and Optical Disk (2001); Also plan to
establish an online storage system by 2013
Bhutan: established in 2011
India: The microfilming plan for census micro-data is being finalized;
Pakistan: uses databases/hard drives
Sri Lanka: IHSN
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Dissemination and Archiving Strategy
Availability of an archiving system
Maldives: no plan for archiving system
Afghanistan: plan to establish a system but no schedule yet for it
Nepal: plan after releasing data in 2012
Systems for archiving micro-data are available or planned in all
countries except Maldives
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Census Products and Services
Major census products
All countries produce national report (tables) and thematic reports
Afghanistan: yearbook; press release/conference; website (limited scale)
Bangladesh: micro-data; customized reports
Bhutan: factsheets; (sub)national projections (2005-30);
indicators/factsheets/maps
India: query-able databases, maps
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Census Products and Services
Major census products
Maldives: indicators; (sub)national graph/table/profiles
Nepal: for previous census: report (tables); thematic reports/maps; sub-
national population monographs; micro-data
Pakistan: reports in print; micro-data on request
Sri Lanka: CD-ROMs; maps, customized requests, static web pages and
interactive online tools e.g. CensusInfo, REDATAM + SP
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Census Products and Services
Time it take release results
 Preliminary results take ~3 months
except India: ≤ 3 weeks; Sri Lanka: 4 weeks;
Maldives: 0 months; Bhutan: NA
 Time to final results vary
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12 months for Bhutan and the Maldives
15 months for Bangladesh
18 months for Afghanistan and Nepal
About 15-22 months for India
2 -3 years for Pakistan
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Census Products and Services
New products and services for dissemination
Afghanistan: website; frequent press conferences
Bangladesh: CD-ROM on the web
Bhutan: first census
India: data sheets, new thematic reports and maps, CensusInfo and Online
CensusInfo India dashboard
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Census Products and Services
New products and services for dissemination
Maldives: Island level tables/graphs/wall chart(indicators)/profiles. Each
week, for the media, a new atoll profile on show; Workshop; MaldivInfo
Nepal: CensusInfo; new thematic reports; fact sheets
Pakistan: database; thematic reports; maps
Sri Lanka: interactive online tabulations and new thematic reports and
maps
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Census Products and Services
Services for customized data requests
Afghanistan: formal requests reviewed by the substantive department;
data provided whenever possible.
Bangladesh: data provided on request both in hard and soft form
India: customized data and maps
Maldives: upon request from agencies/institutes
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Census Products and Services
Services for customized data requests
Nepal: no service
Pakistan: special section
Sri Lanka: only for government institutions, universities, students and some
international agencies
Afghanistan, India*, and Pakistan charge a fee.
Maldives and Sri Lanka do not charge fees
*
free census data for government agencies
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Technological Tools
for dissemination
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All countries use CD-ROM/DVD and static web pages
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GIS mapping tools also very common except Maldives and Nepal
Afghanistan: online databases
Bangladesh: print, CensusInfo under processing
India: dynamic web pages, GIS mapping tools
Maldives: MaldivInfo
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Technological Tools
 All countries use interactive tools for mapping, tabulating,
analyzing and presenting data in graphs or other visual formats
except Afghanistan, Nepal and Pakistan
 India used mobile technology during census taking, SMS,
Facebook and Twitter
 Maldives uses SMS to reach users
 Sri Lanka plan using dynamic web pages, online databases, GIS
mapping tools and IHSN Toolkit
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Websites for Interactive Tools
Bangladesh: BD Info: www.bbs.gov.bd (CensusInfo is under processing)
Bhutan: http://202.144.146.198/website/BhutanPHCB2005Dz/viewer.htm
India: http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011-common/census_info.html
Maldives: http://maldivinfo.planning.gov.mv
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Geographic Information Systems
All except Maldives have GIS infrastructure to capture, manage,
analyze and disseminate geo-referenced population and housing
census data
Afghanistan: GIS data files for all villages, districts and provinces. Also
publish thematic maps for easier geographical visualization of results
Bangladesh: collaborates with the Space Administration Research and
Remote Sensing Organization (SPAARSO) and Survey of Bangladesh
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Geographic Information Systems (contd.)
India: for census taking and dissemination
Nepal: ARC GIS 9
Pakistan: Pre GIS (10) with SQL server
Sri Lanka: ArcGIS and ArcInfo are used to prepare geo-referenced
administrative maps up to 4th statistical area level
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Geographic Information Systems (contd.)
All census offices except Maldives have dedicated units for
managing GIS
GIS is mostly used for cartography and dissemination of georeferenced data.
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan also used GIS in data collection
India census office also used GIS in data collection but does/will
not disseminate “geo-referenced census data”
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Geographic Information Systems
Smallest geographical level for geo-referenced data dissemination
Afghanistan: large villages or cluster of smaller villages
Bangladesh: village
Bhutan: block
Pakistan: Mouza; block, Point Of Interest (POI)
Sri Lanka: Grama Niladhari level (4th level of the administrative structure)
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Micro-data Confidetiality and Annonymization
Statistical Law
All countries have legal requirements to ensure confidentiality
Afghanistan: Article binds personnel to preserve the secrecy of statistical
data
Bangladesh: Census Law
Bhutan: Executive Order
India: Census Act 1948
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Micro-data Confidetiality and Annonymization
Statistical Law (contd.)
Maldives: Principles of Statistical Compilation: limits publication to
aggregates; requires identity non-disclosure; and confidentiality for
information that would disclose identity i.e. anonymity and confidentiality are
required
Nepal: Statistical Law 1959: no disclosure of individual records (confidentiality
required)
Pakistan: Statistical Act, 2011: ensures confidentiality; publication requires
non-disclosure of individual identity or their state of affairs.
Sri Lanka: Ordinances:
http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/index.php?fileName=CensusOrdinance
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Micro-data Confidetiality and Annonymization
Procedures implemented/planned for anonymization
 Countries exclude micro-level identification
 names of individuals, households, village and enumeration
area codes
 serial numbers are given to individuals and households
(e.g. in Maldives)
Bangladesh: expect to implement/finalize with the National Strategy for
the Development of Statistics
Bhutan: aggregate at higher geographical levels
Sri Lanka: does not release micro-data for public
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Meta-data and Documentation
 All countries provide meta-data
 Mostly
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Data source (all countries)
Variables and definitions (except Nepal)
Structure and formatting of the dataset (except Bhutan and Nepal)
Coding instructions and classifications (except Bhutan and Nepal)
Sampling methodology and weighting (except Maldives and Nepal)
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Meta-data and Documentation (contd.)
 Not universally provided description on
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Census data processing procedures
(not provided by Nepal and Pakistan)
Evaluation of census data quality
(not provided by Nepal and Pakistan)
Confidentiality and anonymization procedures for the census data
(not provided by Afghanistan, Bhutan and Nepal)
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Challenges in Dissemination
Common challenges are


Expertise in new technologies e.g. dynamic web pages, mobile
technology and GIS (e.g. in Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Pakistan)
Funding (e.g. in Bhutan, Nepal and Pakistan)
Other challenges are
Afghanistan: politics (census is basis of resource allocation); security
problems limit publicity strategies; low literacy rate limits print medium
outreach (uses religious leaders - educating them is also a challenge);
lack of electricity and poor conditions in some areas limit radio/television
outreach
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Challenges in Dissemination (contd.)
Bangladesh: meeting stipulated/short time span for dissemination
India:
Census Office: multiple-languages, reaching rural and remote areas, less
internet penetration
Maldives: presenting and addressing specific issues for decision making at
policy level; improving use of data by policy makers
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012
Thank you !
Workshop on Collection and Dissemination of Socio-economic Data from Population and Housing Censuses
New Delhi, India, 28-31 May 2012