Population strategies

One of the three main areas of UNFPA’s work is to support population and development strategies that enable capacity-building in population programming. UNFPA provides much-needed financial and technical support to gather accurate social and economic information through surveys and censuses. We also work with researchers to analyse the impact of trends on populations today and in the future.

In 2001, UNFPA worked with the UN Secretary- General’s office and UN agencies to develop indicators to measure progress towards the Millennium Development Goals.

A study of 44 countries was conducted to determine the extent to which reproductive health, gender and population and environment were included in their poverty reduction strategy papers.

To track the commitment of governments to UNFPA programmes, in 2001 a report featuring country case studies was produced with the Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute.

Census data for planning

Good governance requires good population data, and that means a country must conduct a national census at least once every 10 years. Reliable social and economic data is the basis on which nations determine priorities and allocate and monitor resources.

• As part of a five-year project to assist Cambodia in developing a national policy on population and development, UNFPA is supporting efforts to improve research, and to collect, analyse and disseminate new population-related data.



• UNFPA provided Eritrea with 20 all-terrain vehicles to help it prepare for its first census, making it possible to reach remote and nomadic populations and to transport field mapping teams and census and survey enumerators.

• In Mongolia, the national award for Best Statistician was presented to UNFPA’s representative in the country, Linda Demers, for her work in strengthening and reforming the country’s National Statistical Office.



• India completed the 2001 census of its billion-strong population with support from UNFPA to train enumerators and census supervisors, and to produce television spots in regional languages.



• Counting of Mauritania’s nomadic populations was completed in February 2001. UNFPA provided longterm technical assistance for the census, which will be used to plan for the restoration of health centres and provision of medical equipment and reproductive health supplies.



• UNFPA met with donors, partner countries and multilateral agencies in Pretoria, South Africa, to mobilize resources for poor countries to conduct censuses and to explore strategies for reducing costs.

Census-takers in Sierra Leone, where a peace process is taking hold after devastating warfare. Since the last census in 1985, there have been massive displacements of people within and outside of the country. The Government will use the socio-economic and demographic data to plan policies and strategies for recovery and development. Photo: Tuen Voeten