Resources on Census

For countries proceeding with the 2020 census during the COVID-19 pandemic, the priority is to reduce the risk of transmission for all census personnel, and the general public. A key component of reducing the risk of transmission is the procurement and use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) during census activities.
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Geospatial data is increasingly used as census modernization advances within population data systems worldwide. It is UNFPA’s aim to expand access to software and related guidelines for using these data most effectively for development, disaggregation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This manual provides technical guidance on digital mapping, and analysis with QGIS, one of the most widely used free and open-source GIS packages.
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All census instruments include questions that require respondents to provide write-in answers. Write-in fields allow respondents to answer in free text format rather than with predetermined response categories. Write-in...
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The differences between urban and rural areas and their associated modes of living are both easily grasped by the public and are ongoing, fundamental topics of inquiry for social scientists. Our notion of what makes a...
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This guidance note details how modelled population estimates can support national statistics offices in planning, conducting and performing quality assurance checks during the census exercise.
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As the world grapples with the spread of COVID-19, UNFPA must address the implications of the outbreak on preparations and implementation of the 2020 census round. With 150 countries (including 85 UNFPA programme...
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This paper presents the four primary reasons why any population may be hard to count (HTC), four broad strategies for successfully addressing those challenges, and guidance on specific populations which have historically been HTC across national contexts. In doing so, it will help to produce higher quality census data and a culture in which those hardest to reach are prioritized.
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This paper provides information on internationally recognized standards on special procedures and protocols for the archiving and preservation of individual census records.
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This technical brief provides guidance on the recommended questions for inclusion in censuses in order to improve the quality and comparability of data on disability and international migration. It also encourages the...
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This paper details core questions about fertility in a census to improve the accuracy and completeness of fertility data. This technical note is part of a series on Select Topics in International Censuses, exploring...
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