Notes for preparation of a paper on SADC Censuses

SADC - THE COMMUNITY

SADC, originally known as the Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC), the Organization was formed in Lusaka, Zambia, on April 1, 1980, following the adoption of the Lusaka Declaration - Southern Africa: Towards Economic Liberation by the nine founding member states. The objectives of SADCC included the following:

The reduction of economic dependence particularly, but not only, on the Republic of South Africa;

The forging of links to create genuine and equitable regional integration;

The mobilisation of resources to promote the implementation of national, interstate and policies, and

Concerted action to secure international co-operation within the framework of the Strategy of Economic Liberation

The Declaration and Treaty establishing the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which replaced the Coordination Conference, was signed on August 17, 1992 in Windhoek, Namibia. The main objectives of the Community include the following:

The achievement of development and economic growth, poverty alleviation, enhancement of the standard and quality of life of the peoples of Southern Africa;

The promotion of self-sustaining development on the basis of collective self-reliance and the interdependence of the Member States (MS);

The achievement of complementarity between national and regional strategies and programmes;

Promoting and maximising productive employment and utilisation of resources of the region in a sustainable manner and with the effective protection of the environment;

The Member States of SADC are Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. New Member States may be allowed to join by a unanimous decision of the SADC Summit and upon acceding to the SADC Treaty. SADC headquarters are in Gaborone, Botswana.

Each Member State has responsibility to coordinate a sector or sectors on behalf of the others. In the case of statistics, the coordination is done by the SADC secretariat guided by the SADC Statistics Committee. Member States act as focal points for specific areas e.g. South Africa, Botswana, Mauritius coordinate Censuses, Informal sector and National Accounts respectively.

SADC is currently being restructured with a view to centralise the activities of the Community, which means the coordination role would be centralized at the SADC Secretariat.

The SADC Statistics Committee

The Council of Ministers, at its meeting in August 1995, Johannesburg, South Africa, approved the establishment of a SADC Statistics Committee (SSC) following the recommendations of a Seminar for Directors of National Statistical Offices in SADC (3 - 4 August 1995, Windhoek, Namibia). The Terms of Reference for this Committee was the development of statistics in SADC including statistical databases.

This was in line with the thinking that sub regional organisations such as SADC should set up mechanisms for the continuous exchange of information among member States since any improvement in the scope, quality and timeless of statistical and other development information will have beneficial effects on their work in particular and statistical development in the African region in general.

The SADC Committee is responsible for the coordination of the development of statistics in SADC. Membership of the Committee comprises Directors of National Statistical Offices. Statistical units of SADC institutions (Commissions, Sector Coordinating Units but excluding Secretariat), Central Banks, Chambers of Commerce etc will constitute sub-committees and/or other task forces. Representatives of selected international and regional organisations will also be invited to attend meetings of this Committee as observers.

Terms of Reference for the Committee:

  1. to define the role of statistics in the integration process;
  2. to assess the relationship between the SADC Statistical System (SSS) and other systems (e.g. SADC Program of Action (SPA) and Research Projects);
  3. to develop a SADC Statistical Programme (SSP);
  4. to consider and recommend for approval the SADC Statistical Bulletin and its sustainability;
  5. to oversee the implementation of the SSS including statistical studies from time to time;
  6. to ensure compliance with Council decisions on the SSS;
  7. to establish working relations with national and SADC operational institutions;
  8. to set priorities for statistical development (including training) in SADC;
  9. to mobilise resources for the implementation of the SADC Statistical Programme;
  10. to develop protocols or legal instruments providing for uniform approaches to the implementation of the SSS;
  11. to recommend the establishment of subject specific and specialised sub-committees;
  12. to manage and coordinate various sub-committees and task forces on the development of the SSS;
  13. to consider and recommend to Council on global issues relating to statistics;
  14. to ensure harmonisation of the SSS with other community systems (e.g. SPA, Finance etc);
  15. to promote and facilitate secondment of regional statisticians to member states;
  16. to seek to achieve the comparability, standardisation and harmonisation of data processing, and statistical systems and policies; and
  17. to coordinate regional statistical meetings.

In order to complement the efforts of the Committee focal points were created to look at specific programmes within the overall SADC Statistical Programme. The Terms of Reference for such groups include the following:

  • In collaboration with SADC Secretariat, external institutions and regional partners, the SFPs are responsible for the preparation and implementation of prototype statistical operations that can be replicated in other Member States.
  • With the assistance of SADC Secretariat and co-operating partners, the SFPs organise the required regional workshops related to their subject area.
  • The SFPs contribute to the dissemination of "best practise methods" to the other NSOs: by giving access to their documentation and data, and by giving advice and on the field assistance, if necessary.
Terms of reference for Statistical Focal points
  1. Establish and maintain effective co-ordination with the Secretariat on matters concerning the subject area.
  2. Assist in identifying regional projects for implementing in the region
  3. Ensure that all regional project proposals submitted to the SSC for regional co-operation and co-ordination adhere to the criterion for the project selection and guidelines and submission have been compiled with.
  4. Mobilise financial resources in close collaboration with the Secretariat and ensure that the negotiated terms of the assistance are in the interest of and within the priorities of SSC.
  5. Monitor progress; assess implementation problems experienced by the subject area statistics, including accountability for resources allocated to the area, and to advise the SSC accordingly.
  6. Assist accordingly, and monitor the activities of consultants during implementation of subject area studies within the region.
  7. Mobilise all stakeholders in the area of specialisation.
  8. Provide backup support to the Secretariat in organising sector specific activities within the region.
  9. Do all such other activities that may be considered relevant to the subject area statistics.

The issue being discussed at this meeting (i.e. Censuses) is coordinated by Statistics South Africa.

SADC 2000 Round of censuses

In the past 50 years, each member of the SADC has conducted at least 3 population censuses and 8 members are planning such undertaking in the period 2000-2002 and another four are planning mid-term censuses or large scale demographic household surveys. An assessment seminar on the capability and readiness of SADC Member Countries to conduct a population census or large scale demographic household survey revealed a common concern of inadequate number of technical personnel, equipment and financial resources for such an undertaking.

In order to address the identified shortcomings, the Region approached UNFPA for assistance. A project, financed by UNFPA and executed by the United Nations Statistics Division was put in place to assist the Community in census data collection and analysis.

The project was designed to address constraints faced by the countries of the SADC region through harmonisation of resources for census taking. The project aimed at adopting common approaches to data collection, data processing and sub-regional training programmes in various activities of census taking. Thus, the objectives of the project are to train key staff of the national statistical/census offices of SADC Countries on most recent approaches of census taking and data processing by harmonisation of data collection and dissemination and to help strengthen the co-operation in the area of statistics among the SADC Member States.

The successful implementation of the project at a time when SADC countries have come to realise the need to harmonise data collection methodologies, terms and concepts and dissemination of ensuing statistics as a necessary step towards further integration of economic and social basis of the Community. It will also establish mechanism between countries and sub-regional networking in the field of population/ health statistics. Since census data collection is the largest statistical undertaking in most of the SADC member states, it is strongly felt that successful implementation of the population census programme will provide the impetus for the statistical data harmonisation efforts.

In 1999, UNFPA provided funding for Phase I of the programme. This phase entailed five training workshops. At the end of 2000 SADC and UNSD contracted a consultant to assess the impact of the training workshops undertaken under this programme. The terms of reference of the consultant were as follows:

  • To assess the impact of training on the planning and implementation of census programmes;
  • To evaluate census activities in light of the laid out census plans

The Consultant visited six countries, namely, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Zambia and Zimbabwe. The workshops evaluated were on Census Management, census Questionnaire Design, Census Mapping and Cartography, Sample Survey Design and Census Data Processing. In collaboration with the SADC secretariat a questionnaire was designed for data collection and evaluation. The consultant also interviewed some participants of the various training workshops during the visits to the countries.

The Consultant prepared a comprehensive report which was discussed by census managers at a meeting held in Pretoria, South Africa from 19-23 March 2001.

All the SADC member states were represented at the meeting except Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Also in attendance were two representatives of the United Nations Statistical Division.

The findings of the consultant are presented in the sections that follow.

(i)Census Management Workshops

Two workshops were conducted on census management whose main objectives were to enhance the capacity of national statistics/census offices in successfully conducting population and housing censuses and inter-censal demographic surveys. The meeting was informed that during the time of the missions most countries were busy with census preparation and some of the participants were in the field. Comments of the participants who were interviewed included the following:

  • Census management workshops were very useful especially the country

statements-helped census managers avoid some problems they could not have anticipated;

  • The United Nations Census Management handbook should be customized to suit the prevailing situation in the SADC region. It was argued that some concepts and definitions were unique to SADC especially with regard to economic activity;
  • More time should have been spent on discussing census budgeting;
  • More time should have been allocated to the discussion of country experiences.

Discussions

In the discussions, which ensued some participants, indicated that the basis for

budgeting was adequately covered. A worksheet was given during the workshop. Others felt that the example should have been drawn from the SADC countries other than use the example from the USA. Questions were raised about the ideal census management structure. It was pointed out that countries might have different structures depending on their legal set up. What is, however, important is to establish effective net working arrangements with various organizations and persons that are crucial to the success of the census. It was suggested that since SADC was trying to harmonise its statistical series it might be necessary to modify the United Nations recommendations, which are general guidelines. It was observed that concepts of households, dwellings etc. needed to be carefully reviewed within the regional context.

(ii)Census Questionnaire Design

The main objective of the workshop was to harmonise concepts and introduce common core census questions for the SADC region. The consultant reported that most countries in the region had included the agreed upon core questions. Comments from participants of the workshop included the following:

  • Questions discussed at the workshop had already been decided at a prior senior officer’s meeting;
  • Some participants felt that they should have been taught how to design a questionnaire.

Discussion

The idea of SADC adopting core questions was applauded. It was, however, pointed out that beyond the core questions countries should have the liberty to develop additional questions. A question was raised whether there were mechanisms in the offing to streamline and develop core questions for censuses and Poverty/ Living Conditions surveys in the region.

Some participants expressed disappointment with SADC for not taking the initiative to urge countries in this regard as it was recommended in an earlier meeting held in Namibia. The Statistics Committee should have approved such a recommendation. Others argued that the way forward is for member states to implement what they have agreed without necessarily waiting for the intervention of the SADC Secretariat.

It was also suggested that there was need for a manual for guiding countries in collecting data using core questions. In the discussions, which followed, it was suggested that deliberations of SADC Statistics Committee should be transmitted to the relevant substantive technical staff. Web site was proposed as one of the ways of disseminating proceedings of such meetings.

It was clarified in the meeting that participants were not taught how to design a questionnaire because countries in the region were adopting different data capturing approaches. The emphasis was therefore on content.

(iii)Census Mapping and Cartography

Two census workshops were conducted. The objectives of the workshops were to train participants in concepts of census cartography and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and encourage participants from different countries to establish contact and share professional experience. The workshops were considered very useful in terms of fostering cooperation in the area of cartography in the SADC region. Countries appreciated assistance from other member countries that have the requisite expertise.

While countries visited by the consultant were at different levels in the use of

Geographic Information System (GIS), they nonetheless expressed confidence that the cartographic work would be completed in time. The consultant was assured by the countries that population maps would be ready when census results would be disseminated. Some participants were happy with the workshops to the effect that they developed their own cartographic manual based on the notes and experiences of other countries although GIS necessitated buying expensive equipment, which could not be feasible due to limited financial resources.

Discussions

One country indicated that despite the problems of equipment and fuel they were going to complete the mapping although the exercise started late. Other countries had increased teams of mappers in order to be on target. A protracted discussion ensued on the merits and demerits of aerial mapping. It was pointed out that there was danger of basing enumeration area (EA) demarcation, exclusively, on aerial photographs. It was agreed that it was always important to ensure quality control in all forms of mapping and in some cases field visits are essential even if aerial photography is the mode of mapping.

The sharing of cartographic experts was applauded possibly through the establishment of a fund to support such exchange of staff between countries. It was also underscored that census mapping should be expeditiously done because it is a basis for creating master sample frames.

(iv)Sample Survey Design

The workshop covered basic principles of survey design, whose objective was to upgrade skills in the use of sampling techniques in censuses. Comments from the participants of the course included the following:

  • More sampling workshops requested and, if possible to be replicated in countries;
  • The workshop found to be a very good refresher course;
  • Some of the software prescribed at the workshop should be made available to member states.
  • The workshop, which covered laboratory exercises, was very practical and useful.

Discussions

Most participants felt that this was an area which should be strengthened in national statistical offices. It was stated that lack of proper documentation was the main problem in national statistical offices and not lack of sampling statisticians. It was emphasized that the workshop should be replicated at country level. The meeting was however informed that replication might be possible if those trained at sub- regional levels could conduct training workshop at national level. One country has plans to replicate the entire workshop, which has been conducted under the SADC project. Suggestions on how the training could be replicated at country level were invited from the participants.

(v)Census Data Processing

The workshops introduced participants to new technologies for processing population census data. This workshop had two parts. One catered for data processors and the other introduced census managers to the fundamentals of data processing. Integrated Microcomputer Processing System (IMPS) was the software used during training. It was pointed out that the software was good for editing and dissemination. The following are the comments from participants who took part in the workshop:

  • Time allocated was too short;
  • Some felt that other software packages, other than IMPS, should have been introduced;
  • There was need to replicate the training;
  • For countries to get maximum benefit from using IMPS a UNFPA expert with a background of IMPS should be based at CST Harare;
  • Some participants felt that they did not have the necessary programming background to derive maximum benefit from the workshop

Discussions