The Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses – Major changes United Nations Statistics Divisio

1. The Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses – Major changes United Nations Statistics Division Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

2. World programmes UN Statistical Commission on censuses Principles and recommendations for population and housing censuses 1947 56 65 66 84 87 94 04 06 58 74 80 98 Year Supplementary P&R World Programmes Timeline Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

3. Map of the 2000 World Programme The 2010 World Programme of Population and Housing Censuses and changes in the Principles and Recommendations for conducting censuses Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

4. 2010 World Census Programme Endorsed by the United Nations Statistical Commission in March 2005 and adopted by the United Nations Economic and Social Council in July 2005 Three essential goals of Programme: for Member States to carry out a population and housing census during the period 2005-2014 and to disseminate census results in a timely manner to agree on a set of acceptable international principles and recommendations governing the conduct of a census to facilitate countries in conducting censuses Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

5. The revision of the United Nations Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

6. Revision of the Principles and Recommendations Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses, Rev. 2 adopted by the United Nations Statistical Commission in March 2007 English version available on UNSD website in September before translation into the other 5 UN official langages http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/sources/census/ census3.htm Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

7. Principles and Recommendations Main features of the review process • Extensive international consultative process • Gradual process through regional and international consultations • Meetings • E-mail exchanges • On-line discussion forum Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

8. Principles and Recommendations - major changes Orientation • Emphasis on production of outputs for evidence-based decision making • Recognition of an integrated statistical system for the production of outputs • Non-prescription of data sources for outputs Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

9. Outputs/tabulations • Basic/essential tabulations • Top priority • Providing minimum statistics for countries in difficult circumstances • Population (20) • Housing (7) • Recommended tabulations • Adequate for meeting essential data needs for evidence-based planning, monitoring and implementation of national policies • Population (33) • Housing (19) • Optimal tabulations • Meet the needs of most data users nationally and internationally Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

10. On the recommended tabulations • Reflect essential data needs - relevance at national and international levels • Potential for production of detailed statistics at lowest geographical level • Developed independently of source • Produced at least once in the period 2005-2014 Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

11. Set of recommended tabulations • Number of recommended by broad topic (51 tables) • Geographical and internal migration characteristics – 6 • International migration characteristics – 4 • Household and family characteristics – 3 • Demographic and social characteristics – 2 • Fertility and mortality - 4 • Educational characteristics - 3 • Economic characteristics – 8 • Disability characteristics – 3 • Housing characteristics - 19 • Produced at least once in the period 2005-2014 Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

12. Metadata for recommended tabulations • All recommended tabulations require metadata • Metadata necessary for understanding underlying concepts and methodology • Type of metadata • Core topics represented • Source of statistics • Type of population count • Definition of urban/rural Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

13. Core topics • Main variables for recommended tabulations • Population - 31 core topics with 25 direct and 6 derived • Housing - 21 core topics • Permit national and international comparability of data by use of common concepts and definitions • Developed through international consultative process Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

14. Non-core to core Date of birth of the last child born alive Births in the past 12 months Household deaths in the past 12 months Deaths among children born in the past 12 months Country of birth Year or period of arrival Disability status Core to non-core Time worked Alternate core topics Place of previous residence Place of residence at a specified date in the past Changes in core topics - Population Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

15. New core Fuel used for cooking Main source of drinking water Information technology and communication devices in the household Core to non-core Year or period of construction Useful floor space Rental and owner-occupied housing costs Separate core topics – previously one Type of toilet Sewage disposal Changes in core topics – Housing Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

16. Principles and Recommendations - major changes • Introducing definition of Place of usual residence (a) The place at which the person has lived continuously for most of the last 12 months (that is, for at least six months and one day), not including temporary absences for holidays or work assignments, or intends to live for at least six months; OR (b) The place at which the person has lived continuously for at least the last 12 months, not including temporary absences for holidays or work assignments, or intends to live for at least 12 months. • Impact on regional and international data comparability Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

17. Principles and Recommendations - major changes New classification of living quarters that: • With clearer distinction between conventional and non-conventional housing units • Enlarges the taxonomy of collective living quarters Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

18. Living quarters Housing units Collective living quarters Conven. dwellings Hotels Basic dwellings Insti- tutions Temp. Hous. units Camps Mobile Hous. units Other Marginal Hous. units Impro- vised Not for habit. Other Principles and Recommendations – major changes: Previous classification of living quarters Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

19. Living quarters Collective living quarters Housing units Conventional dwellings Other housing units Hospitals Hotels Correctional Mobile Hous. units Has all basic facilities Institutions Military Camps Temp. Hous. units Religious Does not have all basic facilities Other Marginal Hous. units Retirement Students Improvised Not for habitation Other Staff quarters Principles and Recommendations – major changes: Revision 2 classification of living quarters Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

20. Principles and Recommendations - major changes Alternative approaches • Introducing elaboration of alternative approaches • Traditional census – most countries • Register based census • Rolling surveys (with national variants) • UNSD website – national examples of alternative approaches Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

21. Concerns raised against traditional censuses • Periodicity of data production • Prohibitive costs • Untimeliness of census results • Under-coverage • In some cases questionable data quality • Inflexibility Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

22. Principles and Recommendations – Alternative approaches Register based census - Prerequisites • Personal identification number • Comprehensive and functioning system of registers • Legal basis • Public trust • Unique and uniform coding systems • Record linking across registers Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

23. Principles and Recommendations – Alternative approaches Register based census - Advantages • Timeliness of data • Reduced cost associated with data compilation • Reduced respondent burden • Maximizes use of data collected by different agencies • Flexibility in terms of reference date and periodicity Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

24. Principles and Recommendations – Alternative approaches Register based census - Disadvantages • Lack of flexibility – expanding data items • Completeness of data limited to data available in registers • High initial investment setting up registers • Need continuous financial and other resources to sustain registers • Harmonization of concepts and definitions across register could be an issue Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

25. Principles and Recommendations – Alternative approaches Rolling surveys - Prerequisites • Convincing stakeholders • Substantial annual funding • High level of professional staff throughout decade • Complex methodology to minimize sampling and non-sampling errors Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

26. Principles and Recommendations – Alternative approaches Rolling surveys - Advantages • Proving data more frequently • Enhancing the value of information by constant updates • Spreading the cost of data collection over a period of time • Room for technological innovations Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

27. Principles and Recommendations – Alternative approaches Rolling surveys - Disadvantages • Technically demanding • Multi-year planning and testing necessary • Possibility of double-reporting Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

28. Principles and Recommendations – Alternative approaches National examples of variants of rolling surveys • USA approach based on a combination of • Traditional 10-year census using the short form, and • American Community Survey (continuous cumulative survey) • French rolling census (continuous cumulative survey) Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

29. Principles and Recommendations – Alternative approaches USA approach - Traditional censuses with yearly updates • Census year: Total population count and basic characteristics based on short questionnaire • Every year: Large household survey that replaces decennial long form • Data from survey used to model estimates Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

30. Principles and Recommendations – Alternative approaches USA approach - Traditional censuses with yearly updates Some issues • Requires building and keeping the address frame up-to-date • Some operational risks likely reduced – short questionnaire only • Work in progress – lessons learnt on the go Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

31. Principles and Recommendations – Alternative approaches French approach - rolling census • Data collected each year used for modeling of estimates • Quinquennial rolling cycle: Every year, Y, data are produced on the basis of data collected in Y-4, Y-3, Y-2, Y-1 and Y with the average on Y-2 • For communes less than 10,000 – full count once in a five year period • For communes over 10,000 – sample of 8% of dwellings each year for five years Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

32. Principles and Recommendations – Alternative approaches French approach - rolling census Some issues • Inventory of buildings – continuously updated building register • Close relationship between statistical office and communes • Work in progress – lessons learnt on the go Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

33. Principles and Recommendations – major changes • Contracting out • Funding for the census • Quality assurance (instead of quality control) • Enhanced section on census mapping including on geo-coding and contemporary GIS • Focus on hard to capture and enumerate population groups • Homeless • Indigenous populations • Promotion of, and training on, use of data Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007

34. Principles and Recommendations – concluding remarks • Printing underway • Translation into all UN official languages • Accompanied by: • set of handbooks • technical reports • web-based knowledge base • Other activities of the 2010 World Programme Workshop on Census Cartography and Management, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22–26 October 2007