1. SESSION 12. INTERNATIONAL COLLECTION OF VITAL STATISTICS
Civil Registration Process: Place, Time, Cost, Late Registration
UNITED NATIONS STATISTICS DIVISION
Workshop on Operation of Civil Registration, Vital Statistics and
Identity Management Systems for East Asian Countries
Hanoi, Vietnam, November 2017

2. UN international demographic data collection
This mandate comes from the earliest times of the Organization
Data collection based on sending a set of questionnaires to national statistics authorities
Data processing and quality control
Dissemination
This mandate comes from the earliest times of the Organization. The first DYB was issued in 1948 ; all those data from early years have been migrated through out time, resulting in the current database, which contains all historical data up to these days.
The process for collecting data is basically sending questionnaires every year to the statistical offices of each country.
A great deal of our collection of demographic data depends on the replies received from countries. Most data in our database come from NSOs via annual questionnaire but some of them could have been researched by our staff from the NSOs websites.
After questionnaires are submitted by countries, UNSD staff reviews the data and process it in order to ensure its quality and to maximise international comparability.

3. UN international demographic data collection
Major vehicles for dissemination of population and vital statistics:
UN Demographic Yearbook (DYB) both in print and electronic
Population and Vital Statistics Report
UN Data website
DYB, as its name suggests, it is a yearly publication. We usually publish at the end of the year for last year. Say, it is November 2017, we just passed the cutoff date of incorporating new data from countries into the DYB of 2016.
DYB special topics
Population and Vital Statistics Report is a simpler version of DYB, containing only three tables, covering population and three vital events, births, deaths and infant deaths. Most of the vital statistics data come from national civil registration system. Data not derived from civil registration could be official estimates from censuses, sample survey or demographic analyses.
Database updated twice a year

4. Demographic Yearbook (DYB)
Data collected
Metadata collected
Vital statistics
Population estimates
International migration
Population and housing censuses
General characteristics
Economic characteristics
Housing
Household characteristics
Quality
Methods
DYB Questionnaires are dispatched to NSOs
in excel (xml) format
customized for each country
instructions and metadata worksheets
data tabulations pre-filled with existing data
Questionnaires on vital statistics, population estimates, and migration flows are dispatched to NSOs every year, whereas the census questionnaires follow the census schedule of each country.
The template of the questionnaire is available online at:

5. Demographic Yearbook (DYB) -- Vital statistics questionnaire
Collection of 43 tables classified in 10 sections:
Data
List of tables
1.1 Summary: Population (midyear) by sex and urban/rural residence
1.2 Summary: Live births by sex of child and urban/rural residence of the mother
1.3 Summary: Deaths by sex and urban/rural residence of deceased
1.4 Summary: Infant deaths by sex of infant and urban/rural residence of mother
1.5 Summary: Late foetal deaths by sex of foetus and urban/rural residence of woman
1.6 Summary: Legally induced abortions by urban/rural residence of woman
1.7 Summary: Marriages by urban/rural residence
1.8 Summary: Divorces by urban/rural residence
1.9. Summary: Total Fertility Rate (TFR)
1.10. Summary: Life expectancy at birth
Table 2. Live births by month of birth
Table 3. Live births by marital status of mother
Table 4. Live births - born in wedlock - by duration of marriage
Table 5. Live births by live birth order and sex of child
Table 6. Live births by age of mother and live birth order
Table 6.1. Live births by age of mother and live birth order - Second latest available year
Table 7. Live births by age of mother and sex of child
Table 8. Live births by age of father
Table 9. Live births by birth weight and sex of child
Table 10: Live births by gestational age and sex of child
Table 11. Live births by plurality
Table 12. Deaths by month of death
Table 13. Deaths by age and sex
Table Deaths by age and sex - Second latest available year
Table 14a. Complete life table: Males
Table 14b. Complete life table: Females
Table 15a. Abridged life table: Males
Table 15b. Abridged life table: Females
Table 16. Infant deaths by month of death
Table 17. Infant deaths by age and sex
Table 18. Foetal deaths by gestational age
Table 19. Late foetal deaths by age of woman
Table 20. Legally induced abortions by age and number of previous live births of woman
Table Legally induced abortions by age and number of previous live births of woman - Second latest available year
Table 21. Marriages by marital status of groom and bride
Table Marriages by marital status of groom and bride - Second latest available year
Table 22. Marriages by age of groom and age of bride
Table Marriages by age of groom and age of bride - Second latest available year
Table 23. First marriages by age of groom / bride
Table 24. Divorces by duration of marriage
Table 25. Divorces by number of dependent children
Table 26. Divorces by age of husband and wife
Table Divorces by age of husband and wife - Second latest available year
1. VS summary by urban/rural residence
2. Live births
3. Fertility rates
4. Life Tables
5. Deaths
6. Infant deaths (deaths under 1 year of age)
7. Foetal deaths and Late foetal deaths
8. Legally induced abortions
9. Marriages
10. Divorces
8. Legally induced abortions
2. Live births
The questionnaire is comprised of many tabulations covering a wide range of vital events according to the Principles and Recommendations for a Vital Statistics System
43 tables organised in 10 sections
3.Fertility rates

6. Data Demographic Yearbook (DYB) -- Vital statistics questionnaire
1. VS summary by urban/rural residence
Data
This is an example of a table in the VS summary in the questionnaires sent by UNSD to NSOs.
In the upper part, countries enter their new or revised data, while in the lower part, they can see what UNSD has already in their database

7. Meta Data Demographic Yearbook (DYB) -- Vital statistics questionnaire
Quality of Vital Statistics Obtained from
Civil Registration
Other sources, including census, survey, dual record etc.
Meta data for selected data tables
Eg. Definitions of Urban / Rural for table 1
As part of the annual vital statistics data collection, NSOs are requested to provide as well, an estimate of completeness of the reported births, deaths, infant deaths, marriages, divorces (vital statistics).
The completeness of vital statistics, depends respectively on the coverage and completeness of the registration of these vital events.
For the purpose of Demographic Yearbook, an estimate of more than or equal to 90 per cent refers to “complete” data, otherwise “incomplete”.

8. Demographic Yearbook (DYB)
Completeness and accuracy of data
Differences in statistical definitions
Diverse tabulation procedures
Figures coming from different types of sources
International comparability depends on:
After questionnaires are submitted by countries, UNSD staff reviews the data and process it in order to ensure its quality and to maximise international comparability.
International comparability depends on:
Completeness and accuracy of data produced by each country
Differences in statistical definitions of vital events (differ from country to country)
Diverse tabulation procedures: for ex. countries using non-conventional age groups (9-13)
Type of source: Official estimates coming from sample surveys, which makes it difficult to disaggregate data and it’s subject to sampling errors

9. How complete are the data sent from countries?

10. Percentage of countries that sent data to UNSD
Total deaths by period and region
Total births by period and region
Percentage of countries that sent data to UNSD for years
Source: DYB database, consulted 16 Ocotober 2016
This is the response by regions to the collection of UNSD. In the upper graph we have the main dataset on fertility, and in the lower part graphs refer to the main mortality data set.
In average, the world’s response has been steady, around 70% of countries (= around 170 countries/areas) sending data on total number of births and deaths.
For both birth and death, Asia is close to the average of the world.
These figures are only for the most basic tables for births and deaths. For other tables, there is a lower responses.
We’ll now have a look at response at the country level.
Source: DYB database, consulted mid-October 2016

11. VS tables provided in the last five years
Total no. of tables in VS questionnaire = 43
(data for )
In general, response is low. Three groups of countries are distinguishable:
1. those who are able to provide at least 20 of the 43 requested tables (>50% response), e.g. Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines
2. those who are able to submit al least 10 tables, Thailand
3. those well below that threshold, providing very few data
Average number of returned tables = 12
Average “VS response rate” = 27%
We have seen during these days all the efforts that countries are doing to improve their systems, but there is still a long way. For some countries, these efforts are still not tangible in terms of producing and submitting tabulations to the international collection of data.
Source: DYB database as of 2 November 2017

12. A look at specific tables, last 5 years
If we go into even more details, and have a look at specific tables submitted by countries in the last 5 years:
Mixed panorama for most basic table on deaths. Five countries (out of 9 shown here) are rather complete for the past four years, while 4 have not submitted almost any data.
Here I would like to point out that if a disaggregation does not apply to a particular country, for ex. U/R residence, national statistics offices can submit partial tables. In this case, live births by sex, excluding U/R residence, can be submitted. So countries should not feel discouraged when they are requested certain disaggregations that are not readily available.
Source: DYB database as of 2 November 2017

13. A look at specific tables, last 5 years
And if we look at the response for other events, such as infant deaths, the data provided by countries becomes more scarce, even for the basic variables such as sex and age.
3 out of the 9 countries shown here have not sent any data on infant deaths and sex in the last five years.
Source: DYB database as of 2 November 2017

14. A look at specific tables, last 5 years
Response rate also decreases significantly when other variables are introduced. In this case the variable introduced is age and sex of the deceased, which are core topic to be collected.
For this table, we have only 3 countries (of those in the room) with reasonably complete information in the last 5 years
In general, response rates for tabulations on vital events fall for more disaggregated data, or when we look at tabulations that use variables other than age and sex, for example cross tabulations by marital status.
Source: DYB database as of 2 November 2017

15. What is the quality of data sent from countries?
We have seen so far the response from countries in terms of quantity, now we’ll have a look at the quality of the data sent to UNSD
So, let’s talk about quality!

16. Availability and quality of VS
Asia. Number of countries/areas reporting total births
Asia. Number of countries/areas reporting total deaths
Having a look at how data quality has changed over time:
For both Births and Deaths, we have steady number of countries reporting VS figures from a complete CR system, around countries for births and countries for deaths, which is about half of the countries in Asia.

17. Availability and quality of VS
Level of completeness (%)
Births
Deaths
90 +
Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR, Cyprus, Georgia, Israel,, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Republic of Korea, Singapore, State of Palestine, Tajikistan, Turkey, Uzbekistan
Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR, Cyprus, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Israel, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Turkey, Uzbekistan
70-89
Myanmar
Tajikistan, State of Palestine,
50-69
< 50
This chart shows the completeness of births and deaths for countries in Asia that have filled the metadata VS questionnaires [for in the period 2011 – 2016].
This level of coverage is as reported by countries or areas via the UN Demographic Yearbook Vital Statistics Questionnaire. Thus, if a country does not appear in the chart, it means that no information has been received in UNSD regarding the quality of VS
Total number of countries/areas in Asia= 50
Information as of October 2017

18. Importance of providing data and metadata for dissemination
Enabling social and public health studies
Informed decisions
Representation in the international setting
International comparability
Before reaching the end of this presentation, I would like to highlight the importance of having country data disseminated at the international level:
Being able to compile, produce and disseminate vital statistics enables Social and public health studies : academic institutions and other organizations such as NGOs gain access for research. UNSD is disseminating your data to a whole different range of users, that might not have access to it otherwise (due to language barriers, or other reasons).
VS as official statistics have the ultimate end Informing decisions: by having your data being disseminated by UNSD, this end is not only achieved at the national level, but also at the regional and global level. International and regional organisations, as well as aid institutions, use readily available data in order to plan their work programmes and allocation of technical assistance, resources, etc.
In addition, Countries obtain statistical representation in international setting: consider providing data as an opportunity to share progress.
And last but not least, having your data disseminated at the international level improves International comparability : for global publications, for monitoring of development indicators (such as the recently approved SDG, or the graduation criteria for least developed countries).

19. Thank You Спасибо Gracias Merci 谢谢 ﺷﻜﺮﺍﹰ demostat@un.org