1. Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: International standards, contemporary technologies for census mapping and data processing Minsk, Belarus, 8-12 December 2008 Alternative approaches to census taking

2. Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: International standards, contemporary technologies for census mapping and data processing Minsk, Belarus, 8-12 December 2008 Principles and Recommendations - major changes Alternative approaches  Introducing elaboration of alternative approaches Traditional census – most countries Register based census Rolling surveys (with national variants)  UNSD website – national examples of alternative approaches

3. Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: International standards, contemporary technologies for census mapping and data processing Minsk, Belarus, 8-12 December 2008 Concerns raised against traditional censuses  Periodicity of data production  Prohibitive costs  Untimeliness of census results  Under-coverage  In some cases questionable data quality  Inflexibility

4. Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: International standards, contemporary technologies for census mapping and data processing Minsk, Belarus, 8-12 December 2008 Principles and Recommendations – Alternative approaches Register based census - Prerequisites  Personal identification number  Comprehensive and functioning system of registers  Legal basis  Public trust  Unique and uniform coding systems  Record linking across registers

5. Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: International standards, contemporary technologies for census mapping and data processing Minsk, Belarus, 8-12 December 2008 Principles and Recommendations – Alternative approaches Register based census - Advantages  Timeliness of data  Reduced cost associated with data compilation  Reduced respondent burden  Maximizes use of data collected by different agencies  Flexibility in terms of reference date and periodicity

6. Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: International standards, contemporary technologies for census mapping and data processing Minsk, Belarus, 8-12 December 2008 Principles and Recommendations – Alternative approaches Register based census - Disadvantages  Lack of flexibility – expanding data items  Completeness of data limited to data available in registers  High initial investment setting up registers  Need continuous financial and other resources to sustain registers  Harmonization of concepts and definitions across register could be an issue

7. Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: International standards, contemporary technologies for census mapping and data processing Minsk, Belarus, 8-12 December 2008 Principles and Recommendations – Alternative approaches Rolling surveys - Prerequisites  Convincing stakeholders  Substantial annual funding  High level of professional staff throughout decade  Complex methodology to minimize sampling and non-sampling errors

8. Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: International standards, contemporary technologies for census mapping and data processing Minsk, Belarus, 8-12 December 2008 Principles and Recommendations – Alternative approaches Rolling surveys - Advantages  Proving data more frequently  Enhancing the value of information by constant updates  Spreading the cost of data collection over a period of time  Room for technological innovations

9. Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: International standards, contemporary technologies for census mapping and data processing Minsk, Belarus, 8-12 December 2008 Principles and Recommendations – Alternative approaches Rolling surveys - Disadvantages  Technically demanding  Multi-year planning and testing necessary  Possibility of double-reporting

10. Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: International standards, contemporary technologies for census mapping and data processing Minsk, Belarus, 8-12 December 2008 Principles and Recommendations – Alternative approaches National examples of variants of rolling surveys  USA approach based on a combination of Traditional 10-year census using the short form, and American Community Survey (continuous cumulative survey)  French rolling census (continuous cumulative survey)

11. Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: International standards, contemporary technologies for census mapping and data processing Minsk, Belarus, 8-12 December 2008 Principles and Recommendations – Alternative approaches USA approach - Traditional censuses with yearly updates  Census year: Total population count and basic characteristics based on short questionnaire  Every year: Large household survey that replaces decennial long form  Data from survey used to model estimates

12. Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: International standards, contemporary technologies for census mapping and data processing Minsk, Belarus, 8-12 December 2008 Principles and Recommendations – Alternative approaches USA approach - Traditional censuses with yearly updates Some issues  Requires building and keeping the address frame up- to-date  Some operational risks likely reduced – short questionnaire only  Work in progress – lessons learnt on the go

13. Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: International standards, contemporary technologies for census mapping and data processing Minsk, Belarus, 8-12 December 2008 Principles and Recommendations – Alternative approaches French approach - rolling census  Data collected each year used for modeling of estimates  Quinquennial rolling cycle: Every year, Y, data are produced on the basis of data collected in Y-4, Y-3, Y-2, Y-1 and Y with the average on Y-2 For communes less than 10,000 – full count once in a five year period For communes over 10,000 – sample of 8% of dwellings each year for five years

14. Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: International standards, contemporary technologies for census mapping and data processing Minsk, Belarus, 8-12 December 2008 Principles and Recommendations – Alternative approaches French approach - rolling census Some issues  Inventory of buildings – continuously updated building register  Close relationship between statistical office and communes  Work in progress – lessons learnt on the go

15. Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: International standards, contemporary technologies for census mapping and data processing Minsk, Belarus, 8-12 December 2008 Thank you