Proposed Changes for the 2020 Census Round: UN Population and Housing Census Survey Results

1. UN Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses: Results of the Survey on Proposed Changes for the 2020 Census Round Session 3 United Nations Statistics Division

2. Background • International census guidelines provide standardized methodological guidelines to census-taking • Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses • Handbooks and technical reports • Developed for each census round through consultative process involving experts from countries, UN regional commissions, and other international and regional organizations

3. Background (contd.) • International methodological guidelines based on national best practices in census taking • Review of national experiences, therefore, precedes development of international standards • As 2010 census round ends in 2014, international community starts developing international standards for censuses of the 2020 round, using 2010 round experiences as valuable input • Based on results of an international programme review on the 2010 World Population and Housing Census Programme, UN Statistical Commission in 2012 welcomed early initiation of work for the third revision of the Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses

4. Survey to Solicit Input of Countries • May 2013 UNSD conducted a world-wide survey on what should be enhanced, revised, added to, or deleted from, the next revision of United Nations Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses • 9 questions on questionnaire • Responses from 40 countries and some organizations

5. Structure and/or Balance of Content • Mixed suggestions, but overall no changes needed in the structure • Satisfied with current structureand content • Satisfied with current structure, but suggest some changes to contentto take into account contemporary practices in census taking • innovations in methodology and technology • Welcome revision of the United Nations Principles and Recommendations, but urge for collaboration with regional revisions

6. What to Change in View of 2010 Census Experiences • What to change in the current global P&R in terms of additions, expansions and deletions, also taking into account experiences of the 2010 census round • Most of the suggested changes relate to augmentation relative to: (a) emerging census methodologies, (b) methods of enumeration, (c) contracting out of census operations, (d) use of technology in censuses, (e) providing access to micro-data, (f) data confidentiality, (g) data archiving, (h) estimation of census costs, (i) data dissemination strategies, (j) quality setting and management, (k) census evaluation, and (l) census publicity strategy

7. Innovations in Census Taking • Use of alternatives to the traditional census • Innovative methods of data collection • Use of technology in census operations

8. Planning and Operational Aspects • Contracting out of census operations • Maintaining data confidentiality • Quality setting and management • Census publicity strategy • Estimation of census costs

9. Evaluation, Dissemination and Utilization • Census evaluation • Dissemination strategies • Providing access to micro-data • Data archiving and preservation

10. On the Definition of Population and Housing Census and its Key Features Generally recommended not to change the definition Some suggestions for change due to use of alternative methodologies

11. Suggested Changes on Core Population and Housing Topics Some countries noted that determining core topics for international use is problematic due to regional and national differences, and availability of data from other sources, e.g., literacy, and household deaths Consequently, decision on core topics carefully considered

12. Suggested Changes on Core Population and Housing Topics (contd.) New topics for consideration Environmental and energy-related issues Secondary place of residence Reason for migration Daily commuting

13. Suggested Changes on Core Population and Housing Topics (contd.) Topics on which difficulty experienced Literacy Fertility and mortality topics Disability Same-sex consensual unions Occupation Industry Income ICT (suggested to be made non-core) Occupancy status of housing units to distinguish between “holiday home” and “secondary residence”

14. Formulation Questions on Sensitive Topics Mixed reaction on whether or not specific recommendations are needed on formulating questions No need for specific recommendation on formulation (sensitive topics and relevant information to be collected differ by country; national experts with local knowledge of what works are better suited to formulating the questions) Guidelines needed particularly for questions on disability

15. Release of Micro-data • Given high demand for census micro-data, countries want more guidelines emphasizing on: • Concerns about privacy, confidentiality, and impact on public acceptance of census • Procedures to protect confidentiality of micro-data and avoid disclosure of individual, geo-coded and small-area data • Some countries want a separate publication of topic • As micro-data dissemination and data confidentiality are evolving topics, propose to collect and publish good national practices on UNSD census programme website

16. Data Archiving and Preservation • Countries noted that topic is not included in current P&R and should be in next reversion because archiving and preservation • Are important for detailed analysis by researchers and academicians • Are key to sustainability of census products • Need standards on terms, methods of archiving and preservation of digital census micro-data and related documentations • Guidelines on archiving of historical census documents important as technologies change and countries move from paper, microfilm media to keep records of their data and documentation

17. Usefulness of Recommended Tabulations • Two categories of countries • Found the tabulations very useful • Important for harmonization of census outputs among countries • However, trend is making available detailed census data through user-friendly databases • Tabulations not relevant • National tabulations • Regional tabulations • May have tabulations available on UNSD census programme website instead of as part of the publication

18. Recommendations • Suggest guidelines to augment or include new text relative to: • emerging census methodologies • methods of enumeration • contracting out of census operations • use of technology in censuses • providing access to micro-data • data confidentiality • data archiving

19. Recommendations (contd.) • Suggest guidelines to augment or include new text relative to: • data dissemination strategies • quality setting and management • census evaluation • census publicity strategy • Discussion on core topics particularly with regard to disability and formulating questions to measure it