OP-ED: Somalia is getting ready for its historic population and housing census

By Sharmarke Farah

On November 18th, the Somalia National Bureau of Statistics joined the continent in celebrating African Statistics Day. National Statistics are a vital component for good policymaking, providing evidence on the progress of improving the lives of citizens, monitor results and report on development results. Without better and more accessible data, policymakers will find it difficult to address major problems of economic development at both the local and international levels.

Consequently, the demand to produce high-quality data with high frequency and timely dissemination has been particularly strong in recent years. In tandem with the demand for high quality and reliable statistics is a professional and independent statistics bureau to ensure that the best data possible is compiled and disseminated. An example is that the World Bank recommends that poverty surveys should be conducted every three years and be released within 12 months of data collection. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063 for Africa both recognizes the central role of reliable statistics and places emphasis on goals, indicators and national reporting.

CENSUS DATA COLLECTION

Population and housing census is the largest data collection undertaking in a country by the government and the long history of census data collection dates to 2000–1000 BCE to ancient Egypt, Greece, and China, which enumerated people, livestock, and food items. Then came the late eighteenth century, governments of Europe and North America established statistical agencies to publish official statistics on the state of the nation and to inform public discourse. European nations began systematically conducting full-fledged population censuses, and a decennial national census became a provision of the US Constitution. By the end of the nineteenth century, half of the world’s population had been enumerated in censuses. These advances also led to some of the innovations in statistics and social science research methods that enabled the rise of the sample survey.

The 2023 population and housing census intends to count and provide information on every person, from the newly born babies to the oldest person in the country for both citizens and non-citizens

For the Federal Republic of Somalia, the story is different. Since its independence in 1960, it has only conducted two censuses. The first population census carried out was un 1975 but was not published, only an analytical report based on the census was brought out in 1984. Another population census was carried out in 1985-86, and the results were not published due to accuracy concerns. And one population estimate was done in 2014. Therefore, the last census that was done and published was in 1975, pointing towards the fact that there exist a dearth of accurate and reliable statistics.

The office of the Somalia National Bureau of Statistics is now working on filing this long forty-six-year gap of lack of vital statistics. So far, the bureau has done the Somali Labor Force Survey Report, Report on the Socio-economic Impact of Covid-19 on the Benadir Region, Somalia Health and Demographic Survey Report. It has also been disseminating economic growth data as well as consumer price index. Currently, it plans to do the Somali Integrated Household Budget Survey (2021/22), Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) which are in preparation for population and housing census to be done in 2023.

2023 POPULATION CENSUS

The 2023 population and housing census intends to count and provide information on every person, from the newly born babies to the oldest person in the country for both citizens and non-citizens. Further, the population and housing census will collect information on other characteristics such as, health, education, housing, employment, migration and disability among others.

In terms of building capacity for a strong national statistical system and governance, the Somalia National Bureau of Statistics went independent away from a department at the ministry of planning to a stand-alone independent agency with an independent board of directors both approved by the cabinet and appointed by the president.

Recently, the Somalia National Bureau of Statistics also signed a historic formal agreement with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations to transfer the Food Security & Nutrition Analysis Unit (FSNAU) and the Somalia Water & Land Information Management (SWALIM) Programs from FAO to the Bureau. The transfer will happen through a three-phased approach that is expected to conclude within three years.

In conclusion, the future of a reliable national statistical system is bright and secured looking at where we have come from and we look forward to providing the legacy of producing high quality and timely data collaboratively with continuous improvements to build capacity and functionality over the years in tandem with globally recognized standards and methods.

Mr. Farah is the Director General Somalia National Bureau of Statistics. [email protected]