ENGENDERING POPULATION CENSUSES IN MALAWI Prepared by: Mylen Mahobe National Statistical Office (Malawi)

Background Malawi has conducted five censuses since its independence namely: 1966, 1977, 1987, 1998 and 2008 Recent census was in June, 2008 The preliminary report is out

Background cont Based on the 2008 PHC the population of Malawi is 13.1 Million Out of these 49 percent are males and 51 percent females

Questionnaire content for 2008 Census: Characteristics of respondents (Name, relationship to the head, sex, age, nationality, religion, tribe and marital status) Disability statistics Fertility, Mortality and migration Literacy and educational level Employment status

Questionnaire content cont Housing and living conditions Water and Sanitation Sources of energy Household assets Emigration Maternal and General deaths

Steps taken to engender the Census process: Cartographic work Started in 2003 and was completed by 2007 Five mobile teams were used No female staff was engaged

Steps taken cont Questionnaire design Consultative workshops were done with different stakeholders Issues of census content were checked Information on sex of each person was collected Ensured that gender specific questions have been included Workshop on gender mainstreaming was conducted.

Steps taken cont Recruitment A total of 13,000 field enumerators were recruited Workshop was conducted to sensitize supervisors not to be gender biased 30% of recruited staff were females

Steps taken cont Training and Enumeration Phase Special attention were made on identification of head of household Emphasis were also made on respondent to the questionnaire

Steps taken cont Data Processing This involved scanning the census questionnaires, key correction and coding Recruitment of data entry staff was done on merit. Interviews were done

Steps taken cont Census Advocacy Campaign These workshops were conducted with different stakeholders to create and increase awareness on census process and importance. Different medias and channels were used for instances radios, newspapers, bill boards, posters

Conclusion More awareness on gender concepts and definitions through workshops and trainings are needed Engendering census should start from the questionnaire design

THANK YOU!!!!!!