1. JOINT UN-ECE/EUROSTAT WORK SESSION ON POPULATION AND HOUSING CENSUSES GENEVA, 30 SEPT- 3 OCT 2013 ETHNO-CULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS RESULTS OF UNECE SURVEY AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR 2020 IAN WHITE, Office for National Statistics, UNITED KNGDOM

2. OVERVIEW OF THE RESULTS OF UNECE SURVEY: ETHNICITY 31 countries collected information (61 per cent) No register-based census did so 23 countries adopted the UNECE definition/ concepts 14 countries used a combination of ethnic/ cultural and nationality concepts 12 used countries only ethnic/cultural concept In the UK the situation was complicated 9 countries allowed multiple responses; 20 allowed only one response In 24 countries the information was provided in a voluntary basis; in 6 countries it was mandatory

3. OVERVIEW OF THE RESULTS OF UNECE SURVEY: ETHNICITY Type of questions Combination of pre-defined categories and write-in option: 17 countries Open-ended: 12 countries Montenegro Ethnic affiliation _____________________________________________ Albania What is your ethnic group affiliation ? Self-declaration, not obligatory 1  I belong to  2  Prefer not to answer England and Wales

4. OVERVIEW OF THE RESULTS OF UNECE SURVEY: RELIGION 28 countries collected information (65 per cent) Only 1 register-based census did so 17 countries referred to ‘identification with a religion’ 11 countries referred to ‘religious belief’ 4 countries referred to ‘formal membership of a church/religious community’ In the UK the situation was complicated In 24 countries the information was provided on a voluntary basis; in 3 countries it was mandatory

5. OVERVIEW OF THE RESULTS OF UNECE SURVEY: RELIGION Type of questions Combination of pre-defined categories and write-in option: 16 countries Open-ended: 6 countries Albania Do you have any religion ? Self-declaration, not obligatory 1  I belong to  2  Yes without specific religion 3  None 4  Prefer not to answer England and Wales

6. OVERVIEW OF THE RESULTS OF UNECE SURVEY: LANGUAGE 36 countries collected information (71 per cent) Only 1 register-based census did so Type of information collected - Mother tongue: 24 countries - Main language:11 countries - Language spoken at home: 20 countries - Knowledge/ability to speak an other language: 13 countries - Knowledge/ability to speak official national language: 7 countries - Sign language: 4 countries In the UK the situation was complicated

7. OVERVIEW OF THE RESULTS OF UNECE SURVEY: LANGUAGE 17 Can you understand, speak, read, or write Welsh? Tick all of the boxes that apply  Understand spoken Welsh  Speak Welsh  Read Welsh  Write Welsh  None of the above Type of questions

8. PROPOSALS FOR NEW RECOMMENDATIONS: ETHNICITY No substantive changes. Main features cover: Relevant for understanding cultural diversity Information used for monitoring equality and discrimination Subjective, politically sensitive Often relates to very small populations – thus potentially disclosive in outputs Multi-dimensional – ancestry to be considered – use of ‘nationality to be avoided Indigenous populations to be recognised Self declaration – multi-response option Voluntary Consultation with community leaders/key users Criteria and classifications to be explained Classification depends on national circumstances – none recommended Non-core topic

9. PROPOSALS FOR NEW RECOMMENDATIONS: ETHNICITY Issues for discussion Should the topic be CORE? Should the Recommendations attempt to propose a FORMAL CLASSIFICATION? Should the topic be VOLUNTARY or MANDATORY with option to record ‘Prefer not to respond’?

10. PROPOSALS FOR NEW RECOMMENDATIONS: RELIGION No substantive changes. Main features cover: Relevant for understanding cultural diversity Information used for monitoring equality and discrimination Subjective, politically sensitive Often relates to very small populations – thus thus potentially disclosive in outputs Definitions and concepts unchanged: either: - A religious or spiritual belief or faith, regardless of whether or not this belief or faith is represented by an organised group; or - An affiliation with, or membership of, an organised group or body having a specific religious or spiritual tenets and/or practices Self declaration Voluntary Consultation with community leaders/key users Criteria and classifications to be explained Non-core topic

11. PROPOSALS FOR NEW RECOMMENDATIONS: RELIGION Detailed classification depends on national circumstances – no change proposed to basic classification (1.0) Christianity (1.1)Catholic (1.2) Orthodox (1.3) Protestant (including Anglican, Baptist, Brethren, Calvinist, Evangelical, Lutheran, Methodist, Pentecostal, Pietist, Presbyterian, Reformed, and other Protestant groups) (1.4) Jehovah’s Witnesses (1.5) Oriental Christian (1.6) Other Christian (2.0) Islam (2.1) Alawit (Nusayris) (2.2) Ismaili (Seveners) (2.3) Ithna'ashari (Twelvers) (2.4) Shia (2.5) Sufi (2.6) Sunni (2.7) Zaydi (Fivers) (3.0) Judaism (4.0) Buddhism (5.0) Hinduism (6.0) Sikhism (7.0) Other religious groups (8.0) No religion

12. PROPOSALS FOR NEW RECOMMENDATIONS: RELIGION Issues for discussion Should the topic be CORE? Should the topic be VOLUNTARY or MANDATORY? Should the classification be revised, for example: - Fewer categories of Christian? - Fewer categories of Islam? - More ‘other’ categories – if so which ones? - Put ‘No religion’ first?

13. PROPOSALS FOR NEW RECOMMENDATIONS: LANGUAGE No substantive changes. Main features cover: Relevant for understanding cultural diversity Information used for monitoring equality and discrimination Subjective, politically sensitive Often relates to very small populations – thus potentially disclosive in outputs Options for type information to be collected remain unchanged: (a) Mother tongue, defined as the first language spoken in early childhood at home. (b) Main language, defined as the language which the person commands best. (c) Usual language(s), defined as the ones most often spoken at home and/or work. (d) Knowledge of language(s), defined as the ability to speak and/or write one or more designated languages Countries to decide which is/are most appropriate Consultation with community leaders/key users Criteria and classifications to be explained Classifications should be as comprehensive as possible and should attempt to identify regional or languages/dialects and sign language Non-core

14. PROPOSALS FOR NEW RECOMMENDATIONS: LANGUAGE Issues for discussion Should the topic be CORE? If so, which type of information should be recommended? And should the CESR then attempt to propose a FORMAL CLASSIFICATION? What other language-related questions might be proposed?