Improving the Use and Coordination of Household

Surveys

Trevor CroftChief, Strategic Information

UNICEF

Managing for Results Second International RoundtableMarrakech, February 4, 2004

Household Surveys

• Complex– Increasingly overloaded with more topics and more

demands for data– Results required at greater levels of disaggregation– Require highly skilled staff

• Expensive– Costs for national surveys typically range from $100K

to almost $2M, depending on complexity• Under utilized

– Many surveys are little used beyond basic reporting• Uncoordinated

– Don’t form a piece of a bigger plan

Use of Household Surveys

• As a tool for national statistical systems– Part of a strategic plan where data needs and data

gaps are identified– In a nationally owned and demanded statistical

system– Not donor driven, but where donor needs and national

needs are complementary

• National systems can do more to maximize the use of the data– Need to promote use of surveys including those

outside of the international programmes

International Household Survey Programmes

• Used as a tool for international statistical reporting– Demographic and Health Surveys (ORC Macro/USAID)– Living Standards Measurement Studies (World Bank)– Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (UNICEF)– Reproductive Health Surveys (CDC/USAID)– Statistical Information and Monitoring Programme on Child Labour (ILO)– World Health Surveys (WHO)– Community Welfare Indicators Questionnaire (World Bank)

• Each programme has different aims and different audiences• but with many overlaps, e.g.

– Education– Mortality– Child health

Coordination of Household Surveys

• International household survey programmes need– Coordination of timing of surveys

• Avoid overlaps

– Coordination of content of surveys• Indicators, definitions, questions, sample designs

– To be responsive• To country data needs• To global data needs, e.g. reporting for MDGs, WFFC,

HIV/AIDS UNGASS, etc.

• Don’t ignore national surveys

International Household Survey Network

• Proposes:– To promote coordination of international

survey programmes– To design ‘minimum’ survey programme for

inclusion in strategic plans– To provide information on costing and

management of surveys– To develop an international data archive

International Household Survey Network

• Suggestions:– International Household Survey Network should be

• Lightweight – small secretariat – location?• Catalytic – use funds to promote further actions

– Coordination of international survey programmes is needed, but will only happen if those implementing the programmes are the key actors

– Minimum survey programme should also discuss maximum

• Too much emphasis on collecting data – too frequently• Not enough emphasis on analysing, disseminating and using

data

International Household Survey Network

• Development of an international data archive is an immense project

• Suggestions:– Establish an international survey register– Work with existing data archives, e.g. DHS, African

Census Project, ESRC Data Archive, etc.– Encourage archiving of all national surveys– Provide training in survey archiving (not just data)

through statistical capacity building projects– Promote wider dissemination of datasets by countries

• Leads to greater trust in a statistical system