of the Technical Coordination Group for the EUROPEAN COMMISSION EUROSTAT First meeting of the Technical Coordination Group for the next Census round in South East Europe   Budapest, 15-16 June 2017

Experience from previous census 2011 Kosovo Agency of Statistics Experience from previous census 2011 By: Avni Kastrati Social and Population Department Budapest, 15-16 June 2017

Experience from previous census 2011 Short history of Kosovo Censuses Kosovo has census in: 1948, 1953, 1961, 1971, 1981 (1991 estimation in 2001 not applied) and 2011. All censuses has made in traditional way through face-to-face Participation during the census 2011 was 97.4% (based on PES data) Last census 2011 was in line with international recommendation for census round 2010. The next population and housing census of Kosovo in 2021 will me most probably a traditional one.

Experience from previous census 2011 The main difficulties in census 2011 was to convince population that KAS will enumerate/accounted just resident following the international recommendation. Enumerating/accounting just resident population was the first time applied in Kosovo. Do to large scale of emigration (about 40% in last 50 years) we have signal of large scale of refusing to participate in census (2009) for not including non-resident population (saying: we don’t like to separate our families). We have create a local expert group who have impact on convening population that census should follow international recommendation and it is not case to decrease the number of population special some communities. The useful tools for non-resident was applied separate short questioner (S1) for non-resident population. That was one of the crucial instrument to have full participating in census. Also, S1 was source to produce and update international emigration data.

Experience from previous census 2011 Filed operation and mapping During the field operation all staff was equipped with the map depending of his/her role (4 different map: enumerators, controllers, supervisors and MC) in the field. Daily reporting for ongoing process in the filed (coverage) was good information when was needed to enforce additional staff. The main GAP in big cities (capitol) was that KAS has updated map on 2008 and in the filed we have faced with new building (EA) that didn’t was in the maps. The good important decision was continues census for another two(2) week in seven sites do to giving the changes to be enumerated (applied to different data collection: by calling in free hotline number to send the enumerators to their building/houses/apartments and by coming themselves in municipal building where have been team to account).

Experience from previous census 2011 Communication campaign KAS has involve different actor for communication campaign (noun persons from: university, media, music, actors/film, NGO etc.) but transmission the importance of participation in census they didn’t reached some specific communities. KAS didn’t have capacity to follow agreement on transmission the communication campaign through TV and radio (special local media) do to small staff. One of the improvement what KAS should consider is debate on media face to face with criticized persons. Do to many obligation of staff who have been involve in communication campaign KAS didn’t react in some articles and media where have been criticized census do to applied methodology. Also, in some cased we should sent non background staff in direct debate (do to small number of staff). KAS in future should focused to professional staff for communication campaign including more staff from others communities.

Experience from previous census 2011 Improvements and recommendation Maps should be updated at least in the big sites between 1-1.5 year before field operation. Communication campaign to start intensively minimum three (3) month before field operation and KAS should react in some articles and debates where non professional persons or representatives from any organization/institutions they giving criticism without background and where they interpreting census like instruments from governments body for taxes and other decision. More communication with representatives from communities include politicians who have impact in their region for participating- non participating to the census. Data collection to be considered for three (3) week in the field operation.

Experience from previous census 2011 Thank you! Experience from previous census 2011