In preparation for the 2022 Population and Housing Census in Turkmenistan, which will be held from December 17 to 27, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) handed over the first batch of necessary equipment to the country's State Committee on Statistics.
In particular, 180 computers, powerful servers and storage facilities were received, which will allow data from tablets to be automatically transferred to the central database of the State Committee on Statistics. This in turn will ensure the accuracy and quality of the census data.
The tablets will be equipped with appropriate software to digitalize the census process.
As part of the 11-day census, enumerators will collect population data on four different sets of questions. Thus, the first block will cover housing issues, including the type of building, the period of its construction, the material of the walls and roof of the house. The second section includes questions about citizens' access to utilities and infrastructure in the home, including the availability of water, gas, electricity, and Internet connectivity.
The third and fourth questionnaires will record the number of people living in the house, their age, nationality, gender, place of birth, language, citizenship, and marital status, education of children and adults, employment status, source of income. All sections of the sheet will comply with international standards. It should be noted that for the first time the questionnaire included questions about disability and accessibility in a residential area.
These census data will be indispensable in order to have up-to-date information on the size and characteristics of the population, to track changes in the composition of society.
“The strength of a country is not measured by its population, but by the education, skills and talents of its people. The census data will provide the government with valuable information to identify gaps in services related to the diverse needs of its population and will serve as the basis for the preparation of the state budget and national, regional and local development plans for many years to come,” said Aina Seyitliyeva, Head of UNFPA Office in Turkmenistan.
As part of the preparations for the 2022 Population Census, in April of this year, UNFPA organized a mission of high-level UN experts. The mission got acquainted with the preparations for the upcoming population census, noting its high level using the most modern approaches and technologies, as well as the timely and comprehensive publication of preliminary and final results.
