Preparatory Tasks Establishing the basis of Enumeration

United Nations Economic Commission for EuropeStatistical DivisionUnited Nations Economic Commission for EuropeStatistical Division

Preparatory TasksEstablishing the basis of Enumeration

Angela Me, Chief Social and Demographic Statistics Section

- UNECE Statistical DivisionBaku, 30 October-3 November 2006

Slide 2

The first question to answer:

Who is responsible for the census enumeration?


Slide 3

Defining roles and responsibilities of each office

• High level inter-agency committee Approve institutional arrangements Identify the roles of each ministry and managing existing

resources

• National Statistical Office Oversee the enumeration Define standard procedures Support regional office (what support? How to organize

it?)

• Regional offices Buy equipment Supervise field enumeration Coding


Slide 4

Defining roles and responsibilities of each office National Statistical Office

R.O. R.O. R.O.

Census officeField operations

IT

Clear outputs

Clear Instructions


Slide 5

Another question to answer:

What are the key goals?


Slide 6

Defining key goals: some examples

Full coverage (with fixed budget)

Confidentiality Census publicity Compliance of people Cost-effectiveness Recruitment and training of field staff Accountability Availability of enumeration tools Involvement of local leaders Consistency of procedures Enumeration of special sub-population groups

Reduce reports of lost census material by 50% from previous census

Enumerate homeless


Slide 7

Defining key goals

16 countries in the ECE region reported difficulties during enumeration activities

Non-response • Refusals (for privacy concern)• Difficulties finding people at home

Reduce by 50% the refusals experienced in the previous census

Reduce by 70% the non-contacts from the previous census


Slide 8

Defining key goals

These goals can help to better manage the census enumeration and put in place special procedures

These goals can also assess the results of the census enumeration


Slide 9

Identify the key stakeholdersfor enumeration

Data Processing Centre• Procedures on how the data are collected should

always be discussed with the people who manage the data processing

Regional governments• Their cooperation, structure, integrity, and trust

influence the enumeration phase Ministry of education

• If teachers are employed for the enumeration


Slide 10

Type of enumeration

De facto• Person present in a country on the date and time of

the census (persons are enumerated where they slept on the night preceding census day)

De jury – usual residence concept• Persons are enumerated at the place of their usual

residence irrespective of where the person is at the time of the census


Slide 11

Type of enumeration

De facto• Easier to enumerate

De jury – usual residence concept• More complex to enumerate but more

relevant for planning purposes

UN is moving away from the terminology of de jury because it should not be linked to a legal concept


Slide 12

The concept of usual residence

Purpose:

to have a better understanding of the number and characteristics of people who actually "live" in a place/country rather than the people who are only present at the time of the census.

But what do we mean by “living”?


Slide 13


For most people this is not a problem because they do not move and the meaning of "living in one single place/country" is very clear.

The problem is how to define the place of usual residence for people who move their place of living, especially those who do so frequently.


Slide 14


There is the need to define a threshold, the minimum time a person needs to live in a place in order to be considered as their usual residence

the threshold identifies how "permanent" a person needs to be in one place in order to be defined as usual resident in that place (3, 6, 12 months).


Slide 15

The concept of usual residenceShort thresholds and long thresholds have

both advantages and disadvantages

Short thresholds (3-6 months) count people who are moving for short periods as usually resident and they may be helpful for countries of immigration since they include more people present in the country.

Long thresholds (12 months) may be better for countries of emigration because stretching the period helps to consider people who are out of the country for shorter periods as usual residents.


Slide 16

The concept of usual residenceCES RecommendationsPlace of usual residence is:

the place where a person has lived for a continuous period of at least 12 months before census day

OR

The place where a person has arrived during the 12 months before census day with the intention of staying there for at least 1 year


Slide 17

The concept of usual residenceCES RecommendationsPlace of usual residence is:

The place where a person spends most of his/her daily night-rest

- Persons living in more than one residence

- Persons in compulsory military service- Children who alternate between two

households

Other special cases!!!


Slide 18

The concept of usual residenceCES RecommendationsWhere to count special cases

Persons working away from home during the week: p.u.r.: family home

Primary and secondary students away from home: p.u.r.: family home

Tertiary students away from home: p.u.r.: term-time address


Slide 19

The concept of usual residenceCES RecommendationsWhere to count special cases

Persons living in institutions for more than 12 months (or with the intention to stay): p.u.r.: institution

Primary and secondary students away from home: p.u.r.: family home

Tertiary students away from home: p.u.r.: term-time address


Slide 20


CES RecommendationsWhere to count special cases

Refugees, asylum seekers, illegal immigrants

The rule of the 12 months!!


Slide 21


Where to count special cases

Others……

Defense and diplomatic personnel and their family located outside the country

Foreign defense and diplomatic personnel and their family


Slide 22

The concept of usual residenceCES Recommendations

There are people who do not have a place of usual residence because move frequently and do not make up the 12 months rules (such as homeless)

The place of usual residence of these persons is the place where they are enumerated

Every person should have one and only one place of usual residence


Slide 23

The concept of usual residenceCES Recommendations

There are people who do not have a place of usual residence because move frequently and do not make up the 12 months rules (such as homeless)

The place of usual residence of these persons is the place where they are enumerated

Every person should have one and only one place of usual residence


Slide 24

The concept of usual residenceTemporary absent persons

Persons who are usually resident in the enumeration place but are absent at the time of the census for less than 12 months should be included

Persons who have been away or intend to be away for more than 12 months should be excluded

The census is not a proper tool to count emigrants!


Slide 25


Temporary present persons

Persons who are present during the census but have lived or intend to live in the enumeration place for less than 12 months. They should NOT be enumerated as usual residents

Short-term migrants?


Slide 26


Temporary present persons

Persons who are present during the census but have lived or intend to live in the enumeration place for less than 12 months. They should NOT be enumerated as usual residents

Short-term migrants?


Slide 27

Method of enumeration Classical methods

Interviewer (canvasser)

Self-enumeration (householder) Use of pre-existing administrative records

Based on the full enumeration of the population


Slide 28

Method of enumeration Some Other methods

Simultaneous enumeration in the field of all individuals and of the characteristics of a sample of individuals

Long/Short form (Canada, US, Israel)

Simultaneous Enumeration through the registers and the field of all individuals and the characteristics of all

individuals

Combined approach registers-full enumeration (Belgium, Latvia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland)


Slide 29

Method of enumeration Some Other methods

Simultaneous Enumeration of all individuals and their characteristics through the registers

and corrected with the enumeration of individuals and characteristics of a sample of

individuals

Combined approach registers-ad-hoc survey

(Israel, Germany 2011?)


Slide 30

Method of enumeration

Do we have in Central Asia the conditions to move away from the interviewer method?

Look at:

• Educational level• Postal system• Quality and coverage of administrative records• Budget• Skills available in the national statistical office• Users needs and attitude to change


Slide 31

Timing of enumerationDecision should be based on:

• When the enumeration can be carried out simultaneously in ALL parts of the country

• When operational problems can be minimized

• Weather conditions• Seasonal movements of persons• Availability of field staff


Slide 32

Census reference time

• Information collected with reference to a unique predetermined point in time

• It is relevant for characteristics such as age, marital status place of usual residence

• It is less relevant for characteristics such as labour force status


Slide 33

Duration of enumeration

There is a trade-off between practical arrangements (including budget) and data quality. Decision should be taken considering:

• How big the census is (population and territory)

• Availability of staff• Logistic support• Mobility of population

Practices vary from 1 day (Turkey) to 3-6 months (Colombia), and to certain extent the US

(about 180 days)


Slide 34

Performance Indicators

To be established BEFORE the enumeration to assess the quality

Examples: • Rate of under-enumeration • Number of calls to an inquiry service• Performance of enumerators

United Nations Economic Commission for EuropeStatistical DivisionUnited Nations Economic Commission for EuropeStatistical Division

Preparatory TasksStructure of the Workforce

Angela Me, Chief Social and Demographic Statistics Section


Slide 36

Hierarchical Management Structure

NSO, Census Director

Regional Manager

Deputy Regional Manager

Supervisor

Enumerator


Slide 37

Staffing Ratios

Depending on issues such as:

• Duration of enumeration• Administrative structure of the country • Staff availability • Time required for communication

between people at different levels in the hierarchy


Slide 38

Roles and Responsibilities

They should be clearly defined by precise instructions in manuals and

be reinforced in training


Slide 39


Regional Managers

Public communication

Liaison with targeted government and community groups

Assure quality in census administration but little on enumeration

Approve payments

Reporting to Census Office

Little interaction with supervisors and enumerators


Slide 40


Supervisors

Time with the enumerators (by phone or personal contacts): on-the-job training, follow the operations

Quality assurance during the enumeration

More on quality assurance than administration


Slide 41


Enumerators

Contact with respondents

Clerical work in the field and at home

Travel


Slide 42

Staffing Ratios

Regional Manager

Supervisor

Enumerator

Ratio regional manager/supervisors: depending on the administrative tasks

The ratio supervisor/enumerator is the most crucial since it has an impact on the quality assurance. It may vary

within the country (urban/rural). 1:5 good starting point

Documents

Preparatory Tasks Establishing the basis of Enumeration