Development of Strategies for Census Data Dissemination

Development of Strategies for Census Data Dissemination

"A census is not complete until the information collected is made available to potential users in a form suited to their needs"

(UN Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses, DESA/SD , par. 1.206, pp. 49)

The main object of this contribution is to present the key elements in the development of a strategy for census data dissemination.The paperbrings together the main and more relevant recommendations regarding the dissemination of census data contained in the UN Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses prepared by DESA/SD, and in other international recommendations like the UN/ECE Recommendations fort the 2010 Censuses of Population and Housing, as in contributions presented over the years in international professional meetings on Census of Population and Housing. The original text of the recommendations has been reduced and adapted to better fit the purpose of this meeting, and a few additional issues have been added.

Key elements in the development of a strategy for census data dissemination

The key elements in the development of a strategy for census data dissemination are listed following. These elements are not independent from each other but it seems worthwhile to consider them independently, and discuss the contents of each one.

1. Users – User types
2. Uses/Needs
3. Technologies
4. Dissemination Media
5. Products
6. Dissemination Policy – Marketing, Pricing, Distributors
7. Quality Assurance
8. Census Meta-data
9. Confidentiality/Privacy measures
10. Budget and Human resources
11. Users consultation

1. Users – User types

Potential users of census products and services can be subdivided by different criteria. One useful way is to subdivide them by the kind of institution or part of the society they come from.

According to it, we identify users from the government that can be subdivided in two main groups: users from the central government, and its different ministries, that part of them may be important stake holders of the Census itself; and users from the local government authorities (Cities, towns etc.) that many times play also an important role during the census process, participating in the organization and conduction of the data collection phase.

A second group of users are those from the research community, mainly from the academic world, but at times also from research units that are part of ministries or even big local authorities.

A third group is that coming from the business and industry sector, usually represented by their umbrella agencies or organizations.

A fourth group is the general public, both individuals and households.

A fifth group is the International and Multinational organizations that during the globalization era become an important client of the official national statistics and provide also standards for the dissemination of statistical information.

A sixth group,the communication media, can be considered an intermediate player between the census data producer and part of the users.

A possible additional group may include public or private service providers, like providers of health services, andpublic and utility services, such as energy suppliers, water authorities, fire departments, the police, etc., also when these services are not provided only by the government authorities (and therefore not fully included in the above listed groups).

Finally, if there are not included in the previous groups, the list should includemarket researchers and other professional and/or private sector bodies; andany otherorganizations or individuals representing the economic, social, educational and cultural life of the country.

Another criteria that is useful for our purpose is to subdivide users by their level of sophistication in the use of census products and services, and their ability to process data independently. More sophisticated users, like the research community, usually require more sophisticated and detailed data, but they also have the ability to process it independently. On the other end of this continuum we may find the general public and most of the communication media that usually are interested in more simple types of data, with a minimum level of sophistication. In the middle of this continuum we find all the remaining types of users.

Different users may have different kind of needs and different requirements regarding the ways the data should b made accessible to them. These needs are discussed in next item.

1. Uses/Needs

The more traditional uses of Population and Housing censuses are in the fields of policy-making, planning, and research. However, in many countries, during the last census rounds the uses have been progressively extended to include a larger variety, with the entrance of new actors, in particular those from the private and business sectors.

Moreover, the use of census data include now also data collected as a by-product of the census operation, like detailed residence maps, or lists and types of housing units registered by the enumerators during the enumeration process, as well as census data combined with external (to the census) data like data coming from a variety of administrative sources.

2.1.Uses for policymaking, planning and administrative purposes

Information on the size, distribution and socio-demographic and economic characteristicsof a country’s population is essential for understanding its economic, social and demographic situation and for developing sound policies and programs aimed at improving the welfare of a country and its population. Population censuses serve many needs by providing statistical information on demographic, human settlements, social and economic issues for local, national, regional and international purposes. The census also provides data for the calculation of social indicators, particularly those that may be observed infrequently because they measure phenomena that change slowly over time, and those that are needed for small areas or small population groups.

On the international front, the declaration of internationally agreed development agenda objectives like the Millennium Development Goals and the focus on poverty eradication with the formulation of poverty reduction strategy papers, have created a huge demand for periodic, regular and timely data for the monitoring and evaluation of such programs. The census is helping to provide such data.

An emerging use for census data is the assessment of good governance by civil society groups. The performance of a democratically elected Government in improving the welfare of its citizenry can be monitored from one census to the other by ordinary citizens through the widespread and timely dissemination of census results.

One of the most basic administrative uses of census data is in the demarcation of constituencies and the allocation of representation on governing bodies. Detailed information on the geographical distribution of the population is indispensable for this purpose.

2.2.Uses as (anessential)part of the statistical infrastructure

Population censuses in many countries also represent an essential element in the infrastructure of the national statistical system. Census data provide an important baseline for the national population estimates system, and are at least the denominators of indicators that are usedfor the measurement of demographic and social processes, and for monitoring overall development progress.

2.3.Uses for research purposes

The population census provides indispensable data for the scientific analysis and appraisal of the composition, distribution and past and prospective growth of the population.

The changing patterns of urban/rural concentration, the development of urbanized areas, the geographical distribution of the population according to such variables as occupation and education, the evolution of the sex and age structure of the population, and the mortality and fertility differentials for various population groups, as well as the economic and social characteristics of the population and the labor force, are questions of scientific interest that are of importance both to pure research and for solving practical problems of industrial and commercial growth and management.

2.4.Uses for business, industry and labor

The census has many important uses for individuals and institutions in business, industry and labor. Reliable estimates of consumer demand for an ever-expanding variety of goods and services depend on accurate information on the size of the population in sub-national areas and its distribution at least by sex and age, since these characteristics heavily influence the demand for housing, furnishings, food, clothing, recreational facilities, medical supplies and so forth. Furthermore, the census can be used to generate statistics on the size and characteristics of the supply of labor needed for the production and distribution of such commodities and services in conformity with International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention 160. Such statistics on the local availability of labor may be important in determining the location and organization of enterprises.

2.5.Uses for electoral boundary delimitation

A compelling use of census data is in the redrawing of electoral constituency boundaries in most countries. This is often enshrined in the country’s constitution and provides a legal basis for census taking. The current distribution of a country’s population is thereby used to assign the number of elected officials who will represent people in the country’s legislature

2.6.Use as a sampling frame for surveys

Population censuses may constitute the principal source of records for use as a sampling frame for surveys, during the inter-censal years, on such topics as the labor force, fertility, and migration histories.

2.7.Uses for development of benchmark housing statistics

The housing census produces benchmark statistics on the current housing situation and is vital for developing national housing and human settlements programs. The housing census is also valuable for providing the sampling frame for special housing and related surveys during the inter-censal years.

2.8.Uses for the formulation of housing policy and programs

The formulation of housing policy and programs represents one of the principal uses of housing census data. Housing policy is normally influenced by social and economic as well as political considerations and available factual data concerning the housing situation provide objective criteria, which it is important for policymakers to take into account.

2.9.Uses for the assessment of the quality of housing

The materials used for the construction of housing units (roof, walls, floor) are a significant pointer to the quality of life in different parts of a country. Trends indicated by census data with regard to the type of housing materials can show improvements in the welfare of the citizenry, as the percentage of poor quality or slum-like housing facilities is decreased.

2.10.Uses in relationship withother statistical activities

The population and housing census can be used in connection with other statistical activities when producing the census products by combining data from different sources.In this context the relationships between population and housing censuses with inter-censal sample surveys; with other censuses like the census of agriculture, census of establishments, census of buildings and with administrative systems like the system of current housing statistics, the civil registration and vital statistics, should be taken in consideration.

1. Technologies

In the context of the provision and dissemination of census products and services new technologies are often mentioned and used. Among these technologies, GIS and thematic maps generators, new sophisticated Data Base systems and interactive web access, including client-customized table generators, are among the more cited.

These technologies are today widely available, and may allow the production and easier the access to a variety of census products that are difficult to produce and distribute otherwise. However, each NSI needs to carefully evaluate if and which of this technologies are suited to its users needs, under the NSI constrains that may include, beside budget, also human resources constrains. This is because, both the development and maintenance of these kind of systems, requires specific expertise that is not always easy to recruit and keep within the organization. If contracting out for the development of such tools is decided, special attention should be given to include in the contract proper support and assistance for the entire life of the developed systems.

3.1.GIS

The use of GIS systems has become widely spread, and it seems that in the near future it will become as common as the use of computers. The use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) can met widespread interest, and provides users with much flexibility, that should be commensurate with assurances on confidentiality. By having associated graphing and mapping capabilities, databases can greatly increase their usefulness. Ideally users should, themselves, be able to generate graphs and/or maps easily, and then to print or plot them or make the images available for other uses. It should be noted that the effective use of this kind of systems may require the collection of specific and detailed geographical data and therefore it should be better planned well in advance.

3.2.Internet Dissemination

Internet dissemination allows for: the design of appropriate products to meet the needs of different types of census data users, from novice users to sophisticated users; the cost-effective dissemination of a much wider range of census data; and improved usability of the census data.Functionality and data content can be targeted to satisfy the different levels of users. This functionality should be seamless from simple to sophisticate with the clients being lead by the nature of the query or analysis they are wishing to undertake through the different products.

The main purpose of the census in a developed statistical system is to complement the information provided by other data collection methods such as surveys with a focus on small domain statistics – that is information for small geographic areas and for small population groups (both social and economic). Internet dissemination can support both types of use of the data. For small geographic areas, GIS technology can be used as means for both defining areas of interest in searching for data and for mapping of the outputs of the search. There is a range of packages that can be used to hone in on populations of interest from large pre-defined matrix tables.The Internet dissemination system should provide freedom for clients to specify the form of the output – whether as hard copy or a data file that can be exported into a range of commonly available statistical analysis, tabulation or mapping packages.

3.3.Data bases

In order to expand the life and usability of the data, and as a complementto the standard production of tables, national statistical offices are encouragedto store the census data in various computerized database forms so as to better satisfythe full range of needs of internal and external data users. Census databases assist datausers by providing easy access to a wide range of census data.The establishment of such databases can enhance the disseminationof the census results as well as increase their usefulness by combining census datatogether with related information from other demographic inquiries in a commonformat. (An important special case is bringing together the data from prior censusesinto a single database) In addition, such databases can improve the coherence of theinput and output processing systems.

Needs vary widely from user to user, according to specific interestsand circumstances. There is therefore no preferred approach to setting up a censusor population database. For example, a basic decision must be made whether to providemicro-data, aggregated data or both. Other basic design issues to be consideredinclude whether an effort is to be made to incorporate the new census results in anexisting database structure or whether one or more new census databases are to beestablished, and if the latter is the case, whether the new database(s) will be exclusivelyin the form of a census database or constitute instead the nucleus of one or morepopulation databasesincorporating data from other sources.

Consideration will alsohave to be given to such issues as identification of the different types of users, theirinformation requirements, types of information to be stored in the database, sourcesand maintenance/update of information, processing of user queries, identification ofthe appropriate commercial software or, alternatively, whether it is feasible to developsuch software, and selection of the appropriate hardware capable of supporting thecurrent database and its anticipated growth.

Since building a census or population database requires careful planningand can be time-consuming, such implementationshould fit within the global statisticalframework of the organization, and be seen as an ongoing process both complementingthe data dissemination strategy and strengthening the statistical capacity ofthe organization.

Databases can be of different kinds: 1. Database for micro-data; 2. Database for macro-data that may be (a) Publication equivalents, (b) Table-oriented databases, (c) Time-series and indicators databases, (d) Graphing and mapping databases; 3. Geographic Information Systems that are DBs by themselves.

1. Dissemination Media
2. Paper publications

Printed publications, despite their production cost, remain in most countries the preferred vehicle for dissemination of the main results. Target dates for publication should be determined well in advance and processing and printing programs should be planned accordingly. In addition to traditional methods of printing, there are various methods of reproduction available that are fast, economical and good-quality, and these should be investigated.

4.2.Digital Media

For an increasing number of users, computer-readable magnetic and optical media as well as online electronic data dissemination are a better means than printed paper, based on the factors of cost, storage capacity (and therefore weight of documents), ease of reproduction and direct availability of the data for further computer processing.