United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013 Definitions of Census Terminology for Data Sources and Enumeration Methods Session 6 United Nations Statistics Division

United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013 Census Data Sources and their Definitions  United Nations Principles and Recommendations, Rev. 2 lists 4 methodological approaches to census-taking oTraditional census oRegister-based census oRolling census oTraditional enumeration with yearly updates of characteristics

United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013 Traditional Census  The traditional approach comprises a complex operation of actively collecting information from individuals and households on a range of topics at a specified time, accompanied by the compilation, evaluation, analysis and dissemination of demographic, economic, and social data pertaining to a country or a well-delimited part of the country. Members of the public respond to a census questionnaire, or interviewers are deployed to collect information from respondents (para. 1.60).

United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013 Register-based Census  The philosophy underlying this concept is to take advantage of the existing administrative sources, namely, different kinds of registers, of which the following are of primary importance: households, dwellings and individuals. In the next iteration these are linked at the individual level with information on business, tax, education, employment and other relevant registers (para. 1.64), which enables generating small area census-like detailed statistics.

United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013 Rolling Census  A “rolling census” represents an alternative to the traditional model of the census by means of a continuous cumulative survey covering the whole country over a long period of time (generally years), rather than a particular day or short period of enumeration (para. 1.69).

United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013 Traditional Enumeration with Yearly Updates of Characteristics  This design is a variation of the traditional census design and focuses on counting the population and collecting only the basic demographic data in the census year. A very large household survey collects and tabulates detailed demographic, social, economic, and housing data every year throughout the decade, replacing a census-year long form to collect these detailed data from a sample of the population (para. 1.72).

United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013 Review of National Experiences for 2010 Censuses Report of the United States of America on the 2010 World Population and Housing Census Programme “Countries are becoming more creative in their census designs and developing new census methods. Increasingly, countries are moving away from a full field enumeration with enumerators going door-to-door to collect data. Indeed, a growing number of countries are considering less census data collection and moving to the use of registers and other techniques to obtain data for census counts.” United Nations Statistical Commission, 43 rd Session – 2012)

United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013 Review of National Experiences for 2010 Censuses  Even within a particular methodology, there are vast differences in how the method is carried out  The programme review shows a myriad of data sources, data-collection methods and new technologies for countries marking “traditional census” on the questionnaire  Countries using administrative registers may use different types of registers, or use registers and supplement the data with another method

United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013 Main Methodology for 2010 Round Censuses  Results of census Programme Review Survey (2011/2012) show: oFull field enumeration (traditional census) still dominant methodology for population and housing censuses (85%) oUse of alternative methodologies ­ 10% use administrative registers ­ 5% use other methods mainly combinations oApplication of alternative methods not uniform across countries and needs careful documentation and study

United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013 Main Methodology for 2010 Round Censuses  Results of UNECE Survey on National Census Practices (2013) based on responses of 50 countries show: oTraditional Census – 31 (62%) oRegister-based Census – 9 (18%) oCombined Census – 10 (20%)

United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013 Traditional Census No.% Full field enumeration, no use of registers2040 Full field enumeration, supported by registers as frame or control only 918 Full field enumeration, with annual sample updates12 Rolling census12 Total3162 Note: Results refer only to UNECE region

United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013 Register-based and Combined Census No.% Register-based Census918 Register-based census using data from existing sample survey for selected variables 36 Full register-based census 612 Combined Census1020 Register plus full field enumeration for selected variables 48 Register plus sample field data for selected variables 612 Note: Results refer only to UNECE region

United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013 Issues Raised from Programme Review  What is a “traditional census”?  Survey results showed wide variation in the definition of a traditional census and little consistency in how the term is used across countries  The term is more confusing than ever and is used differently across countries  With use of technology, the inclusion of a multitude of data sources, and data collection methodologies, does the term accurately reflect the current state of census- taking?

United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013 Issues Raised from Programme Review (contd.)  The distinction needs to be made between census- taking using full field enumeration, full enumeration, the extent of technology used, and other methods to capture more precisely the current state of census- taking.

United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013 Issues Raised from Programme Review (contd.) Administrative records and administrative registers  The two terms are sometimes used interchangeably  The two terms should be better defined to clarify how they are being used. The distinction is based on how the data are used – to create census counts or to support the enumeration.  It is important for accurate assessments of census methodologies to define the distinction between the two, develop terminology that accurately reflects the use of the data, and gather information on their usage

United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013 Issues Raised from Programme Review (contd.)  Programme review noted growing complexity of census-taking within countries due to multi-mode census oCalls for common terminology to assess the different types of multi-mode census-taking to learn whether countries still have a predominant method or if there is a multiplicity of methods being used  Some questions: oHow can a multi-mode census be accurately defined? oHow to describe all of the different permutations of the multi-mode methodology as its use increases oWhat evaluation criteria are needed to get a more exact look at the variations of modes used?

United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013 Recommendations  Programme review showed that almost all responding countries (96%) will use UN concepts and definitions for their 2020 census.  Consequently, Programme review recommends that the UN create a task force or committee to rethink, update and synchronize definitions of census terminology for data sources and enumeration methods based on current practices….Make sure terminology and acronyms are defined and consistently used.

United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Revising the Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses New York, 29 October – 1 November 2013 Towards the 2020 World Population and Housing Census Programme  UN Statistical Commission endorsed Programme review report and its recommendations, and: oWelcomed the suggestion to initiate early enough a programme of work for the third revision of the Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses oRequested the United Nations Statistics Division to establish an Expert Group to begin work to assess the challenges faced in the 2010 round, discuss emerging trends, compile lessons learned