Population and Housing Censuses Towards Funding Stability Richard Leete

1. United Nations Population Fund Population and Housing Censuses Towards Funding Stability Richard Leete Technical and Policy Division June 2000

2. PARIS 21 Initiative Foundation for Good Governance • Population-based data and indicators crucial for national and sectoral policies and plans, for development frameworks, for CCAs/PRSPs, for RBM, and tracking progress towards IDGs • Censuses a unique data source for meeting a good proportion of these needs - if combined with surveys for most

3. PARIS 21 InitiativeValue of Censuses • Completeness of coverage; continuity of statistics; inter-relating population and household characteristics; details about individuals in local areas/sub-groups; base for population projections; comparability across countries • No other data source meets these needs or allows for such detailed gender analysis of population-based indicators • Without a recent census data gaps inevitable. Outdated sampling frame. Planning based on unreliable statistics with possible serious policy and resource allocation distortions

4. PARIS 21 Initiative2000 Round of Censuses • Censuses should be held every 10 years as part of strategy for sequenced information. Mid-way through, apparent that 2000 census round comparing less favourably than 1990 round • Several countries postponed census increasing interval since previous census to more than 10 years • Serious funding constraints. High costs, shrinking public sector budgets, cut-backs in international development assistance

5. PARIS 21 Initiative Rising Costs of Censuses • Censuses largest and most costly data collection activity of Statistical Offices – 10-15 % of budget over entire decade • Censuses need to be more cost-effective. But will remain costly despite low-cost computer technology • Unless sufficient resources available at each stage quality of entire of census jeopardised

6. PARIS 21 Initiative Main Census Costs • Census Maps. Accurate maps provide basis for enumerator assignments, ensuring completeness of coverage etc • Population Enumeration. Most expensive since each individual must be enumerated within short time span. Costs depend on method of enumeration; source of enumerators and number of questions • Data Capture and Processing. Computers used in almost every phase of census. But modern IT and skills to handle it frequently not available

7. PARIS 21 Initiative Cost Saving Strategies • Sampling Reduces Costs - at enumeration reduces field, training and processing costs, and enhances quality of additional sample information. Care needed in sample selection and implementation to avoid biases • Cost-saving Strategies Beyond Sampling. Sharing experiences between countries. Sharing activities with neighbouring countries. Common census year, core questionnaire, sharing manuals, training, processing and dissemination activities • Such strategies supported by UNFPA in Pacific, Central Asia, and parts of Africa. Success requires political commitment and donor support

8. PARIS 21 Initiative International Support • Technical assistance key factor in success of past censuses. Many countries unable to hold censuses without support, esp. in post-conflict situations. UNFPA’s policy to limit support to countries taking first or second census - but insufficient • Sometimes unrealistic amounts allocated for censuses - expectation that donors will provide balance. But outcome of donors’ meetings not always successful. Meanwhile census time-schedule advances • Funds often allocated just prior to enumeration leading to compromises in decisions with impact on quality of census

9. PARIS 21 Initiative Need for Timely Support • From a supply and demand perspective, census data largely a public good – limited potential support from private sector • Continuing need for technical assistance for censuses. Limited technical and managerial capacities compound institutional weaknesses • Pooling of donor resources could be cost-effective strategy for meeting diverse demands

10. PARIS 21 Initiative A Way Forward • Establish Working Group of interested parties, under PARIS 21 umbrella, to consider how to improve census funding and management • Assess problems in current round, from perspectives of developing countries and donors • Research into what practical measures can be taken to reduce census costs • Initially WG could discuss key issues virtually. UNFPA would be pleased to moderate

11. PARIS 21 Initiative A Full-Fledged Proposal • Finalisation meeting to agree modality to • Assist countries in advocating need for conducting regular censuses and securing funding • Provide technical assistance in eg census management, cartography and sampling, and if required, financial resources • Support regional workshops and initiatives enhancing national capacities in census-taking