Symposium 2001
18 October 2001
English only
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Symposium on Global
Review of 2000 Round of
Population and Housing Censuses:
Mid-Decade Assessment
and Future Prospects
Statistics Division
Department of Economic and Social Affairs
United Nations Secretariat
New York, 7-10 August 2001
Venue: Conference Room 6 in the
United Nations General Assembly
Building
Tuesday, 7 August 2001
9:30 a.m. Registration of
participants, Conference Room 6
Morning
Session (10:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.)
Opening of the
meeting
Strategies for involving stakeholders in census activities
What methods do census organizations use to build a consensus among all parties concerned to insure the availability of reliable and timely data for dissemination? Who are the stakeholders i.e. those organisations/offices with interest or concern in census results? What is the role of stakeholders in the collection, dissemination, planning and use of population data? What roles do statistical offices provide to stakeholders in the selection and development of topics to be included in the census questionnaire? What are the methods used to limit topics in the census questionnaire to essentials? Under what conditions are clients’ demands for census information met?
Main paper: Symposium2001/02 and related statements of countries and organisations.
1:00–3:00 p.m. Lunch
Break
Afternoon
Session (3:00- 6:00 p.m.)
Strategies involving
stakeholders in census activities (continued)
Strategies for choosing
among data collection methods of demographic and social statistics: censuses,
surveys and administrative records
(a) Data collection methods
How can national statistical
offices decide upon the most efficient and effective data sources for
population and social statistics, taking into account, costs, donors,
periodicity, geographic coverage, respondent burden, timeliness, content and
statutory considerations?
It is sometimes suggested that it may not be
necessary to continue conducting censuses because other alternative sources can
provide the required information. Another school of thought argues for
complementing the census with other alternative sources of information such as
sample surveys and administrative records.
This session compares the pros and cons of implementing traditional
censuses versus alternative methods and strategies of data collection.
Main paper: Symposium2001/03 and related statements of
countries and organisations.
(b)
Cost efficiencies
In recent years, the escalating costs of planning, collecting,
processing and disseminating census data have at times impeded and constrained
census programmes. Yet under these
circumstances, other census programmes succeed. What are the methods that census
organisers have used to rationalise census costs to their stakeholders? What
are the costs, benefits and controversies of limiting census questionnaires to
a small set of basic questions? What are the factors that allow censuses to be
implemented even when there are serious financial constraints? How can census programmes be made efficient
and effective under limited funding? What are some of the strategies that have
been tried?
Main papers:
a) Symposium2001/04
b) Symposium2001/05F
c) and related statements of countries and organisations.
Wednesday, 8 August 2001
9.15 a.m. Statistical Networking
This session is available for consultations, interaction and
demonstrations
Morning Session (10:00 a.m.
- 1:00 p.m.)
Adapting new technologies to census operations
It is difficult to
anticipate all the necessary administrative and methodological requirements of
applying new technology in the conduct of censuses. How should countries make
informed choices in selecting appropriate technology? There are also problems
related to high cost of equipment, access to maintenance, and lack of necessary
expertise. What are the most appropriate methods, so far tried, to effectively
adapt to the emerging demands for new technologies while maintaining the
integrity of the existing data collection systems? How should outsourcing, of
some census activities such as data processing, be managed? How should
confidentiality issues be handled in such circumstances?
Main paper: Symposium2001/06 and related statements of countries and organisations.
1:00- 3:00 p.m. Lunch
Break
Afternoon session (3:00-6:00 p.m.)
Adapting new technologies to census operations (Continued…)
Identifying and resolving problems of:
(a) Census mapping
What successful approaches have been adopted by
census organizations to improve mapping? Common problems include poorly timed
execution of the mapping exercises; lack of adequate training of field staff;
treatment of mapping as a completely separate operation from the census;
incomplete mapping; outdated maps; generation of poor frames for surveys and
lack of a solid base for developing the geographic information system (GIS).
Main paper: Symposium2001/08 and related statement of
countries and organisations.
(b) Enumeration
What are the most common problems that census organisations face when
deciding on the method of enumeration to use in censuses? How do census
organisers decide on the best method of enumeration? What are the circumstances
and conditions that affect their decision? What are the factors that census
managers consider when deciding who should be engaged as enumerators and
supervisors? When do enumerators fail? What are the factors that influence the
timing and logistics of enumeration? How have census organisers adapted their
enumeration plans to crisis management, e.g. political strife, major illness
outbreaks, natural disasters etc.?
Note:
Symposium2001/9 and related statement of countries and
organisations.
6.30 p.m. Dinner
Thursday, 9 August 2001
9.15 a.m. Statistical Networking
This session is available for consultations, interaction and
demonstration.
Morning Session (10:00 a.m.-1:00-p.m.)
Maintaining census related
activities during intercensal years
What are the most effective
methods census planners have used to manage institutional memory and archiving
of census activities? While recognizing that not all structures created during
the census can be retained during the intercensal period which core structures
and activities should be retained and why?
Where are the optimal locations of census materials and archives during
the period between censuses? What factors affect the optimization process?
Main papers:
a)
Symposium2001/07;
b)
Symposium2001/25;
c) and related statements of countries and
organisations.
1:00-3:00 p.m. Lunch Break
1:00-3.00pm. United
Nations Tour
Afternoon session (3:00-6:00 p.m.)
Data Evaluation
(a)
Post Enumeration Surveys: Are they worth it or not?
Conventionally, countries have undertaken post
enumeration surveys (PES) to evaluate coverage and content errors, however, the
administrative and management burden of planning for PES may be taxing,
especially, while still managing the larger census activities. A proper PES is, in many cases, constrained
by the lack of proper institutional arrangements to facilitate independence of
operations from the census activities.
Besides, in many instances basic information, e.g. maps, household
listings are inaccurate. How have such constraints been minimised? In addition, there may be analytical
problems and ambivalence in usage of PES results. For example, what are the various pitfalls and implications of
adjusting census results based on the PES? In view of the above, under what
conditions is it worth the cost and the trouble to conduct a PES? Does a PES serve the purposes intended?
Main paper: Symposium2001/10 and related statements of countries and organisations.
(b) Demographic analysis
What are the data
requirements for better use of demographic analysis as a method of enumeration?
Issues of data quality, completeness, availability and expertise in the use of
the method. Can demographic analysis be
stand-alone method or does it become effective only when used in conjunction of
other methods such as PES? How widely is this method used in developing
countries?
Main paper: Symposium2001/11 and related statements of countries and organisations.
Friday, 10 August
Morning session (10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.)
Mapping out strategies for completing the current round of Population
and Housing Censuses and the implementation of the next round
This session will come up with
recommendations for successfully completing the current round of censuses and
map out strategies for planning and conducting the next round of censuses. What
lessons have been learned from the current round? How can the lessons be used
to improve the 2010 round of censuses?
Major points from each
session will be discussed in the context of programmes for future censuses.
1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Lunch
Break
Afternoon session (3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.)
Mapping out strategies (continued)
Closing