Statistical Newsletter Published: 27 June 2008

Second Quarter, 2008

Re-establishment of the Committee on Statistics Use of information technology in population and housing censuses in the region Voices of the Region  - Interview with Mr Kuenga Tshering, Director, National Statistics

Bureau, Bhutan Statistics Division Meetings/Training Workshops

o Workshop on Managing Disclosure Risk and Anonymization Tools for Microdata Dissemination, Bangkok, 28–30 May 2008

o Workshop on Informal Employment and Informal Sector Data Collection II: Evaluation, Processing and Utilization of Data from ‘1-2’ Surveys, Bangkok, 14–16 May 2008

o Workshop on Promoting Disability Data Collection through the 2010 Population and Housing Censuses, Bangkok, 8–10 April 2008

SIAP Meetings/Training Workshops o Fourth Regional Course on Poverty Measurements , Jakarta, 6-16 May 2008o Country Course on International Migration , Dushanbe, 21–25 April 2008o Sub-regional Course on Labour Force and Manpower Projections , Hong Kong,

China, 7–11 April 2008o Introduction to STATA software, distance-learning training course , Cambodia and

India, 1–9 April 2008o Third Group Training Course in Modules on Fundamental Official Statistics , Chiba,

Japan, 29 September 2007-14 March 2008 Missions undertaken by Staff Staff movement  (2nd Quarter 2008) Publication and data release  (2nd Quarter 2008)

o CD ROM Version of the Training Manual on Disability Statistics

Visitors to ESCAP Statistics Division  (2nd Quarter 2008)

Meetings and training courses of Statistics Division and SIAP, 2008 Other forthcoming statistical meetings in the ESCAP region, 2008

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Re-establishment of the Committee on Statistics

The ESCAP Commission at its last Session held in Bangkok on 24-30 April 2008, adopted Resolution 64/1 on "Restructuring of the conference structure of the Commission," which re-established the Committee on Statistics. The first session of the Committee is tentatively scheduled to take place on 15-17 December 2008. This first session will help to define the strategic directions and priorities of the Committee as well as decide how to make it work most effectively to serve the needs of the countries in the region. The heads of the National Statistical Offices in the region as well as high level representatives of relevant regional and international organizations are warmly invited to attend.

Letter to heads of National Statistical Offices from the Director of the ESCAP Statistics Division informing them of the re-establishment of the Committee on Statistics.

 

Use of information technology in population and housing censuses in the region 

The December Newsletter carried a brief article about the Expert Group Meeting on Effective Use of IT in Population Censuses, Bangkok, 10-12 December 2007. The outcome recommendations were submitted immediately after that to the fourth (and final) session of the Committee on Poverty Reduction, and later in April 2008 as a part of the Committee's report, to the sixty-fourth session of the Commission.

Workshop on Census Data Capture and Editing, September 2008

To follow up some of the EGM recommendations, ESCAP continues working together with the United Nations Statistics Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Under the global 2010 World Population and Housing Census Programme, a regional Workshop on Census Data Capture and Editing has been scheduled from 15 to 19 September 2008 at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok.

ESCAP supports census-related capacity building also under its own projects on disability measurement and improving access to microdata, the recent activities of which are featured in separate articles in this Newsletter.

The 2007 Survey findings on data collection and capture

In this context, it is fitting to highlight selected findings on past and expected practices from the ESCAP Survey on the Use of Information Technology in Population and Housing Censuses in the ESCAP Region. The Survey was responded by forty statistical offices in the region and the results were assessed by the December EGM.

The Survey indicated that census enumeration during the next round of censuses is expected to continue to be done on paper-based media with interviewers writing down the information. While some countries used hard-copy forms for self-enumeration in the previous round as an alternative mode of enumeration, several offices expect that, during the next round, such self-enumeration forms will be made available through the Internet.

The popularization of hand-held computing, GPS and mobile phones are making field operations more efficient, although universal enumeration straight into computers is not yet feasible in the region. The listing of housing units is usually done prior to the enumeration, with field staff increasingly using hand-held GPS devices to find locations and register their coordinates.

Among the specific areas of the upcoming Workshop, the Survey covered data capture, coding and editing technologies. Once the data have been collected, some variables, such as occupation, need to be coded so that meaningful statistics can be calculated. Manual coding was the most common method, although the popularity of computer-assisted coding is slowly increasing. The assisting programmes were often self-developed.

The majority of respondents were already using optical mark or character recognition in the 2000 round of censuses, and they expected the basic technology to remain the same in the next round. The number of respondents using manual key data entry was expected to drop from 14 countries in the latest census to 11 countries in the next census.

Data capture and processing technologies in the latest enumerated census and the next planned census (based on ESCAP survey in August 2007)

Stage of data processing

Latest census Next census

ManualAutomated or

computer-aidedNot

indicatedManual

Automated or computer-aided

Not indicated

Data coding 22 17 1 10 16 10

Data capture 18OMR/OCR/ICR: 21

Internet: 31 13

OMR/OCR/ICR: 20

Internet: 47

Data editing 3 34 3 3 30 5

Data imputation

8 22 10 3 22 15

Several countries will continue applying multiple modes of data capture, including paper forms, computer-assisted

personal interviewing and Internet forms. In most parts of the region, the coverage, quality and timeliness of data from civil registration and administrative data systems are not at the level required for register-based censuses, which are gaining popularity in developed countries.

The captured data need to be investigated for consistency and random errors. In most censuses, data editing, as well as imputation, was computer-assisted as manual editing is not economically feasible for large censuses. Among the editing applications, the Census and Survey Processing System (CSPro) was the most popular application, but many offices were using self-developed applications based on database or statistical software.

Areas where technical assistance if required

The ESCAP Survey included questions on whether specific skills were either present or lacking in census offices. Cartography/mapping, tabulation and database design, post-enumeration survey, and quality assurance were the most frequently mentioned stages of a census in which external assistance was needed. In some cases, the assistance provider had already been identified, although usually not in all areas where needed.

Table 4. Areas where technical assistance is needed

Stage of censusNumber of countries

Cartography/mapping 24

Tabulation and database design 20

Post-enumeration survey 20

Census data quality assurance and improvement 19

Evaluation 18

Census output and dissemination 16

Census management 15

Staff recruitment and training 14

Data capture 13

Data editing 13

Sampling 11

Small-area identification 11

Data coding 11

Census communication activities 11

Questionnaire preparation and testing 10

Census tests 7

Enumeration 4

Outsourcing 4

Others 7

Total number of countries/areas needing assistance in one or more areas

32

Total number of countries not needing any assistance 8

The questionnaire attempted to identify the census offices that could lend their expertise to other countries. Most responses were positive, with both developed and developing countries willing to share expertise provided that funding was available for related travel.

 

Voices of the Region - Interview with Mr Kuenga Tshering, Director, National Statistics Bureau, Bhutan 

Disability in Bhutan

Bhutan is a landlocked least developed country with a population of about 635,000 (Census, 2005) and a GDP per capita of US$1,124 in 2006. As a result of a people-centred development approach guided by the philosophy of Gross National Happiness, the Bhutanese people, including persons with disabilities, have witnessed dramatic improvements in the quality of their lives.

The Eighth (1998-2002) and the Ninth (2002-2007) Five Year Plan of national development outlined initiatives to include persons with disabilities into the mainstream of society. The Cabinet issued executive orders to all relevant ministries to incorporate disability related programmes into their development plans through budget allocation, overall planning and coordination.

A question related to disability was introduced in Bhutan’s Population and Housing Census in 2005. The question was “(Do you have) physical or mental disability (1) in seeing (2) in speaking (3) in hearing (4) in moving (5) mental”. The disability prevalence rate from this census has not been published yet. However, as is the case in other countries, collecting disability data based on severe impairments alone often leads to serious under-estimate of the true prevalence of disabilities and provides only partial information. The international community is promoting an alternative approach to disability data collection guided by the conceptual framework underlying the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). This ICF-based approach focuses on the collection of data on both the prevalence of functional limitations and the needs of persons with disabilities. It provides a common ground for organizing all information

related to disability into a national disability information system that support better disability policies and programmes to ensure equalization of opportunities for all.

In this connection, a regional workshop on promoting disability data collection through the 2010 round of population and housing censuses he was held in Bangkok in April 2008. The workshop brought disability data users and producers together, advocated the ICF-based approach to disability data collection and provided practical training on the current global recommendations for census. It was the first in a series of activities to take place under a two-year UN Development Account project on the ‘Improvement of Disability Measurement and Statistics in support of the Biwako Millennium Framework of Action and the Regional Census Programme’ in Asia and the Pacific. During the workshop, the Secretariat interviewed the distinguished delegate from Bhutan. Below are some excerpts from the interview.

 

Mr Kuenga Tshering, Director, National Statistics Bureau,

Bhutan

Thank you for coming to the Regional Workshop on Promoting Disability Data Collection through the 2010 Population and Housing Censuses. As the Director of National Statistics Bureau, we believe your personal presence at this workshop indicates the importance your government attaches to disability issues and disability data collection.

What motivated you to come to this workshop?

Bhutan’s goal is to achieve “Gross National Happiness” as opposed to increased GDP. This has always been the wish of our King. Hence we cannot leave any section of our society outside the mainstream of development. Persons with disabilities are, therefore, no exception and they should be able to enjoy equal opportunity and happiness.

Is there regular collection of disability data in Bhutan?

No, so far we have just had one attempt during the last population and housing census in 2005. However, after this workshop, we intend to make disability data collection a regular exercise.

We understand that you are planning to include disability questions in the next round of population census in 2015. How useful would the disability component of the United Nations Global Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses (Rev. 2) be for you?

Yes, as mentioned already, we will include disability questions in our next population census as well as

conduct disability surveys in order to mainstream disability issues. Hence, the UN Global Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses will be useful not only as guidelines for data collection but also as a base or standard, and the methodology would allow for global comparison.

What are the main challenges in disability data collection in Bhutan?

The challenges seem to be the usual – inadequate technical capacity and lack of funds.

What kind of additional support would be needed?

Support in terms of developing the capacity of our staff is a priority. By training our staff we would be able to continue the activity on our own and make it a regular data collection activity.

Thank you.

 

Statistics Division Meetings/Training Workshops 

Workshop on Managing Disclosure Risk and Anonymization Tools for Microdata Dissemination, Bangkok, 28-30 May 2008ESCAP is implementing the project "Improving access to Microdata in Asia and the Pacific" in partnership with the World Bank and PARIS21. In this regard, from 28 to 30 May 2008 ESCAP successfully conducted a regional workshop in Bangkok on the management of disclosure risk and anonymization tools. The purpose of the workshop was to train staff members of national statistical offices in the concepts of statistical disclosure control (SDC), i.e. methods to measure and reduce the risk of disclosing the identity of census/survey respondents, and tools for the anonymization of census/survey micro datasets to be disseminated. The workshop made the participants aware of the importance of managing statistical disclosure risk prior to microdata dissemination, and trained them to be able to assess the risk in their national data files.

The training was facilitated in three separate sessions, the last one taking place in a computer laboratory with hands-on exercises using the anonymization software tools developed by ESCAP and its project partners. Eighteen official statisticians from twelve countries in the region attended the sessions, together with a representative from the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) and a team of ESCAP observers and resource persons. The varied origins and backgrounds of the participants encouraged extensive discussions and resulted on a constructive regional knowledge-sharing experience.

As a result of this workshop, awareness was raised in NSOs in Asia and the Pacific on the need of minimizing disclosure risks when disseminating microdata. In addition, the participants learnt about various techniques to address disclosure risk and applied the anonymization software developed by ESCAP in their own national datasets; which allowed them to identify variables and individuals at risk and determine the areas in need of anonymization.

More training activities are planned in the field of anonymization, since the workshop participants expressed strong interest on implementing this initiative in different NSOs. User's guides as well as other explanatory materials will be developed to ease the use of the anonymization tools at national levels.

 

Workshop on Informal Employment and Informal Sector Data Collection II: Evaluation, Processing and Utilization of Data from '1-2' Surveys, Bangkok, 14-16 May 2008United Nations ESCAP and SIAP organized the Workshop on Informal Employment and Informal Sector Data Collection II: Evaluation, Processing and Utilization of Data from '1-2' Surveys, on 14-16 May in Bangkok. This three-day workshop was the second in a series of technical meetings on the design, implementation and utilization of '1-2' Surveys. The '1-2' Survey is the recommended tool for collecting data on the informal sector and informal employment by the Development Account Project "Interregional Cooperation on the Measurement of Informal Sector and Informal Employment."

The workshop had four main components: (i) discussion of methodological and project implementation issues in the participating countries; (ii) data checking and editing procedures used for the '1-2' Survey data; (iii) '1-2' Survey data analysis and tabulation plans; and (iv) utilizing '1-2' Survey data for estimating the GDP of household unincorporated enterprises with at least some market production (HUEMs) and of informal sector enterprises.

Nine survey statisticians and national accountants from Mongolia, the Philippines, Saint Lucia, Sri Lanka and Viet Nam participated in the training workshop. Viet Nam was the only non-project country to participate in the training and were invited to share their '1-2' Survey experience in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

By the end of the workshop, the following needs of the project countries were highlighted: (i) tools and guidelines for data checking and editing (including imputation procedures); (ii) standard tabulations to be used in the country reports; and (iii) guidelines on calculation of HUEM and informal sector GDP and integration into national accounts. ESCAP Statistics Division is in the process of responding to these needs. The countries in addition to sharing the '1-2' Survey data and relevant information will document the Survey using theInternational Household Survey Network (IHSN) Microdata Management Toolkit.

The next training workshop designed to assist the pilot countries in implementing the project will focus on the procedures for estimating the GDP of HUEMs and informal sector enterprises and integrating these estimates into national accounts. This workshop will be held on 6-8 October, 2008 in Bangkok.

 

Workshop on Promoting Disability Data Collection through the 2010 Population and Housing Censuses, Bangkok, 8-10 April 2008The Regional Workshop on Promoting Disability Data Collection through the 2010 Population and Housing Censuses was organised by the Statistics Division of ESCAP in collaboration with the Emerging Social Issues Division, UNECE, the Washington Group on Disability Statistics, the World Health Organization and the World Bank. The meeting was held on 8-10 April 2008 at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok. This event brought together senior statisticians, health and disability professionals, and representatives from non-profit organizations working with people with disabilities from more than 25 countries around the Asia-Pacific region.

Participants of the workshop found the workshop very timely and useful in raising the understanding of the new approach to disability data collection based on the conceptual framework of International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). They emphasized the urgent need for further advocating the ICF-based approach to disability data collection and expressed strong interest in receiving more training and technical guidelines for implementing the global recommendations. They requested ESCAP to:

organize sub-regional and in-country training and advisory services to deepen the understanding of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) approach among a wider range of national stakeholders;

establish standard guideline and build technical capacity for survey design and data analysis; and

establish mechanisms to share best practices and to strengthen technical collaboration between countries.

During the workshop participants addressed the mismatch between data users and producers recognising that

various government agencies collect data on disability leading to different prevalence rates, and in some cases, reflecting surprisingly low estimates. Participants recognised censuses provide a unique opportunity to collect data on disability and that the core question set proposed in the Global Principles and Recommendations for the 2010 Round of Population and Housing Censuses provides an excellent framework to obtain solid and internationally comparable statistics on disability.

While some delegates expressed concerns on an increase in the disability prevalence rate using the ICF-based approach, most participants pointed to the fact that such an increase would more accurately reflect the number of people with different levels of functioning, contributing to the empowerment of people with disabilities. Group discussions revealed the need to increase awareness and understanding of the ICF framework in addition to actively advocating for the ICF-based data collection at the national level.

Delegates noted that a number of countries in Asia-Pacific have already implemented the ICF approach in their data collection efforts and acknowledged the importance and benefit of sharing countries' experiences by discussing the advantages and challenges faced in its adoption. Building consensus, strengthening local capacity around the ICF framework as well as moving from the medical approach to the social model also in data collection, were identified as key challenges to be overcome in the immediate future.

Workshop participants emphasised the central role of addressing the disability subject as part of their countries' strategies aimed at achieving the Millennium Development Goals. In this regard, delegates affirmed that if disability continues to be overlooked in development plans and policymaking, Millennium Development Targets such as reducing poverty by half, achieving universal primary education, granting access to basic services such as improved water and sanitation, and reducing child and maternal mortality - among others - will simply not be attained by 2015.

Delegates agreed that the use of the ICF approach in the next round of censuses will offer a better understanding of the disability subject, allow for international comparable data and serve as an instrument to enhance social protection and services. This workshop, auspiciously placed between the twentieth ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on April 3 and its entry into force thirty days later, proved another step forward in the ongoing fight to improve the human rights and quality of life of people with disabilities.

For further information please visit our website http://www.unescap.org/stat/disability/ or contact Andres Montes at montesa@un.org.

 

SIAP Meetings/Training Workshops 

Fourth Regional Course on Poverty Measurements, Jakarta, 6-16 May 2008The fourth regional course on Poverty Measurements was held from 6 to 16 May 2008 at the Education and Training Centre of BPS - Statistics Indonesia in southern Jakarta. The course, the fourth one on this topic, was organized jointly by SIAP and BPS. 21 participants from 19 Asia and Pacific countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New

Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, and Vietnam) successfully completed the training programme. Lecturers were delivered by Dr Jose Ramon G. Albert, SIAP consultant and course director, Dr Kecuk Suhariyanto and other experts from BPS.

The course covered the following topics: concepts and definitions of poverty, key indicators of poverty (MDG indicators, poverty lines, poverty incidence, poverty gap, and inequality measures), statistical tools and estimation methods, Stata statistical software. The latest version of the Handbook on Poverty Statistics published by UNSD which is available at http://unstats.un.org/unsd/methods/poverty/Chapters.htm was used as course book. Participants also conducted project work in groups to practise the new tools by analyzing the poverty situation in their country using official data. The reports were presented using STATA software and discussed at the end of the course. Pre- and Post-training tests were arranged to examine its effectiveness. The results indicated that many of the participants improved their knowledge and skills on poverty measurements and Stata during this ten-day training course.

Beside the formal programme, BPS arranged field study trips for participants. All the arrangements and services provided by the BPS during the course were highly appreciated by the participants. The closing ceremony, held at the BPS Head Quarter, was attended by Dr Rusman Heriawan, Director General of BPS, and Mr Shuichi Watanabe, Deputy Director of SIAP.

 

Country Course on International Migration, Dushanbe, 21-25 April 2008The Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific (SIAP), in collaboration with UNECE Statistical Division and State Committee on Statistics of Tajikistan organized a country course on International Migration in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on 21 - 25 April 2008. The course is part of the series of specialized courses/workshops conducted under the outreach training programme of the Institute in partnership with International and National Statistical Offices (NSOs).

The course contents were designed jointly by SIAP and UNECE and delivered by Ms Gereltuya Altankhuyag, SIAP lecturer, and Mr Enrico Bisogno, statistician from UNECE Statistics Division.

The main objective of the course was to strengthen the capacity of official statisticians in the use of international concepts and definitions, data collection tools, indicators and analytical frameworks. In particular, the course covered migration data currently available in Tajikistan, use of population census and household surveys to improve migration data, use of immigration data from other countries to improve national emigration estimates, estimation of net and gross migration, illegal migration, migration ratios and rates and analysis of immigration and population growth.

A total of 19 participants from State Committee on Statistics, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Education, Committee for Women and Family Affairs and Civil Service Department of Tajikistan participated in the training course. Interpretation and translation of all course materials in Russian was arranged by UNDP office in Tajikistan and funded by UNECE.

Two thirds of the participants indicated that the training course on international migration had been relevant and very useful for their work and a large majority (72 % and 83 % respectively) provided a good evaluation of the

quality of course materials and presentation technique. A large share of the participants, however, indicated that the course was too short.

 

Sub-regional Course on Labour Force and Manpower Projections, Hong Kong, China, 7 - 11 April 2008The Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific (SIAP), in collaboration with the Census and Statistics Department of the Government of the Hong Kong, China, from 7 to 11 April 2008 organised a sub-regional training course on Labour Force and Manpower Projections. Twenty-five participants from six countries/regions (Brunei Darussalam; China ; Hong Kong, China ; Macao, China, Malaysia and Singapore ) participated in the training. Experts from SIAP, the US Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS) and Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) of the Government of the Hong Kong, China delivered the lectures.

The aim of the course was to provide participants with knowledge and techniques to identify appropriate data sources and use them effectively to make manpower projections for national planning. As such, topics related to strengths and limitations of data sources, BLS projection methodologies, effect of migration and other key factors on labour force projections were covered in the course curriculum. The ILO methodology to produce the Estimates and Projections of the Economically Active Population 1980-2020 as well as the evaluation of projection estimates and dissemination of projection results were also presented to the participants. Participants then had the opportunity to carry out practical exercises examining the impact of employment on GDP and its composition on the penultimate day.

All participants shared their extensive experience in the area of sample surveys and actively participated in the group discussion sessions. At the end of the course each participant made a presentation, addressing issues such as unemployment, aging population, skilled labour shortage, and the effects of migration on the labour force.

Mr FUNG Hing-wang, Commissioner, Census and Statistics Department, Government of the Hong Kong, China

distributed certificates to the participants at the closing ceremony and expressed his desire and commitment to work closely with SIAP in building the statistical capacity of the NSOs in the region.

 

Introduction to STATA software, distance-learning training course, Cambodia and India, 1 - 9 April 2008SIAP conducted from 1 to 9 April 2008 the second distance-learning training course on the use of STATA software, in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the National Institute of Statistics ( NIS ) of Cambodia and the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO) of India, using JICA-net videoconference facilities. A total of 20 participants (10 from each country) were trained.

The main objective of the course is to improve the capacity of official statisticians in the region to conduct in-depth statistical analysis of surveys and censuses data. In fact, one of the challenges facing many National Statistical Agencies in developing countries is to graduate from being collectors of data to become producers of analysis to inform evidenced-based policy-making. In addition, the course aims to prepare trainees to be better equipped in attending further statistical training courses.

In total four lecture sessions were delivered in which all the basics commands for data management and statistical analysis were covered. After each lecture, all participants were asked to perform hands-on exercises using the Bangladesh Household Survey data. All sessions were conducted interactively with the lecturer who was residing in Tokyo. In case participants had not had enough time to complete the exercise during the interactive session, they were requested to complete them as homework and send the answers via email to the lecturer. Feedback on the performance was then provided to the participants upon receipt of the answers to the exercise.

Distance-learning training has many advantages. First of all, it allows expanding tremendously the outreach in the dissemination of statistical knowledge. In addition, it provides the opportunity to maintain long-term relationship between teacher and learners. Distance-learning training courses can also be seen as an auxiliary form of training to face-to-face training, by providing participants with the basic knowledge to attend successfully more advanced training courses.

 

Third Group Training Course in Modules on Fundamental Official Statistics, Chiba, Japan, 29 September 2007-14 March 2008The Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific (SIAP) conducts every year a 6-month training course on Fundamental Official Statistics at its headquarters in Chiba. This year the course was attended by 33 participants from 27 countries of the Asia-Pacific region, Africa and Latin America. The closing ceremony of the Third Group Training Course was held on Friday, 14 March 2008, and was attended by several representatives of diplomatic communities, supporting ministries of the Government of Japan and its affiliated agencies.

During the training, participants learned essential elements of official statistics, including economic statistics, social and demographic statistics, survey methodology and statistical software. Along with the classroom sessions, participants conducted a pilot sample survey on the living conditions of the foreign participants. They were requested to implement the whole production process of a statistical survey: survey planning and organization, sample design, design and development of the questionnaire, data collection, data editing, tabulation plan, data analysis and report writing. Each participant had a specific task in the survey team under the coordination of a general manager who was elected by the participants. At the end of the survey, each participant presented the results of his/her work and the lessons learned from this experience.

As a requirement of the Institute's training programme and as a way of extending its impact, participants were also requested to develop an action plan to disseminate the knowledge and skills that they have acquired to their colleagues in their home-country. The individual plans were all presented and discussed at the end of the course. Participants then will have to send to SIAP two progress reports on the implementation of their action plan within three and six months respectively from their return to the home country.

This year the participants' performance was remarkable and in several cases outstanding. The Raymond T. Bowman Prize, the prize awarded to the best participant, this year went to Ms Aileen Sobrevilla Oliveros, from The Philippines.

Just before the end of the ceremony, Mr Emmanuel Amonoo Cobbinah from Ghana delivered a farewell speech on behalf of all participants. He thanked SIAP and the Japanese Government for the hospitality and training received and confirmed that all of the participants would work towards the improvement of official statistics in their countries.

 

Missions undertaken by Staff 

Mr Pietro Gennari, Director, Statistics Division

Paris, France, 5-6 June 2008: To represent ESCAP at the PARIS21 Steering Committee Meeting. The main decisions of the Steering Committee are the following:

Adoption of the work programme for 2009 - 2010 (which foresees to strengthen, in collaboration with ESCAP, the support for the implementation of NSDS in Asia-Pacific) and the Logical Framework 2007 - 2010 for tracking progress of the PARIS21 Partnership;

Establishment of a new task team on sub-national statistics; Adoption of the proposed work plan on the Virtual Statistical System (set-up a statistical knowledge website

that will assist developing countries in the preparation and implementation of their National Strategies for the development of the statistical system);

Conclusion of Metagora project activities in August 2008 (with their possible transfer to the UNDP Global Programme, Oslo Governance Centre);

The dates of that the next PARIS21 Steering Committee meeting and PARIS21 Consortium meeting: will be held in Paris on 5 - 7 November 2008 and the meeting of the in Dakar ( Senegal ) on 16 - 18 November 2009.

Amman, Jordan, 13-15 April 2008: To act as a resource person at the Workshop on "Informal Employment and Informal Sector Data Collection: Strategy, Tools and Advocacy", which was organized by the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA). The workshop was organized primarily for the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) who is participating in the Development Account project "Interregional Cooperation on the Measurement of Informal Sector & Informal Employment" as project country in the ESCWA region. The main objectives of the workshop were to enhance participants' understanding of the objectives of the project, its implementation strategy and activities and to assist Palestine in adapting the survey tools to their national circumstances and to develop a work plan for the implementation of the project.

 

Ms Haishan Fu, Chief, Statistics Development Section

Beijing, China, 5-6 May 2008: To be a resource person at the "Seminar on Population Census: Experience Sharing and Lessons Learned" and to represent ESCAP on the International Advisory Panel for the 2009 Population and Housing Census of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), which were organized by UNFPA China and UNFPA DPRK, respectively. At the seminar she delivered two presentations: (1) Global and Regional Programme, presented Strengthening National Statistical Capacity through the 2010 Round of Population and Housing Censuses: ESCAP Regional Census Programme; and (2) Collection of disability data through census: Shifting towards the ICF-based approach. She provided comments on the DPRK 2008 census plan and questionnaire design during the International Panel Session. One of the outcomes of the mission was increased awareness among participating countries and international organizations of the ICF-based approach to disability data collection and the global recommendations on disability. DPRK has planned to include disability questions in the next census and is now considering whether to include the ICF-based questions as recommended in the Global Principles and Recommendations.

 

Mr Jan Smit, Statistician, Statistics Division

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, 23-27 June 2008: To assist the National Statistical Office in the implementation of the ESCAP Microdata Management and Measurement of Informal Sector and Informal Employment projects, as well as providing advice on improving the compilation of the country's Industrial Production Index (IPI). The work on the Microdata Management project, which is the regional component of the global Accelerated Data Programme (ADP), was assisted by Mr Ernest Boyko, an expert on microdata dissemination policy development and former Director at Statistics Canada. During the mission, rules and regulations for safe access (i.e. with the identity of census and

survey respondents protected) to census and survey were drafted. Furthermore, the importance of fully documenting, archiving and preserving censuses and surveys was underlined in a meeting at the NSO, which was also attended by representatives from various United Nations agencies and bodies and the research community. The work on the IPI focussed on the challenge of compiling the index in the context of an economy in transition, continuously producing new products.

Noumea, New Caledonia, 9-12 June 2008: To discuss and plan for a Pacific component of the global Accelerated Data Programme (ADP) with the Demographics and Statistics Programme of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC). The ADP aims at improving microdata management practices at NSOs as a means to ultimately improve access to microdata for policy-relevant research. During this mission, possible collaboration and coordination between ESCAP and SPC on other statistical initiatives was discussed as well.

Nadi, Fiji, 3-6 June 2008: To participate in meetings to review pilot Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) recently conducted in four Pacific countries, namely Marshall Islands, Nauru, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu, and to plan future DHS activities in the subregion. Both meetings were jointly organized by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the main funder of the pilot project, and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), the main implementing agency. The planning meeting also discussed the possibility, taking account of the limited capacity of most National Statistical Offices (NSO) in the Pacific to implement a regular census and survey, of developing "hybrid" surveys, and of integrating surveys through statistical matching.

 

Ms Zeynep Orhun, Associate Statistician, Statistics Division

Manila, Philippines, 20-23 May 2008: To participate as a resource person in "Measuring the Informal Sector Inception and Planning Workshop," which was organized by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for statisticians and national accountants from Armenia, Bangladesh and Indonesia. Ms Orhun delivered a presentation on the informal sector and informal employment data collection methodology and implementation experience under the Development Account Project: "Interregional Cooperation on the Measurement of Informal Sector and Informal Employment." During this mission, collaboration and coordination between United Nations ESCAP and ADB on informal sector measurement and on other statistical initiatives were also discussed.

 

Mr Daniel Clarke, Assistant Regional Coordinator, Microdata Project, Statistics Division

Dhaka, Bangladesh, 9-11 June, 2008: To assist the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) in the implementation of the ESCAP Microdata Management project. The project, which is the regional component of the global Accelerated Data Programme (ADP), aims at improving microdata management practices at NSOs as a means to ultimately improve access to microdata for policy-relevant research. This mission was assisted by Mr Ernest Boyko. During the mission, Mr Clarke and Mr Boyko conducted consultations with several departments of the BBS in order to follow-up on initiatives for improving documentation, preservation and dissemination of survey microdata. Meetings were also arranged with multiple microdata users and development partners, including: the Ministry of Planning's General Economic Division (GED) and members of the Bangladesh multi-agency UN Monitoring and Evaluation Country Team. The main result of the mission was a revised set of recommendations and a work plan

for improved access to survey and census microdata in Bangladesh.

Stanford University, USA, 28- 30 May 2008: To participate in the IASSIST 2008 Conference: Technology of Data: Collection, Communication, Access and Preservation.   IASSIST (International Association for Social Science Information Services and Technology) is an organization of professionals in information technology and data services fields, which meets annually with the aim to support the advancement of research in social sciences. IASSIST membership includes experts from national data archives, statistical agencies, research centres, libraries and universities, NGOs, and various government departments. This year's conference included a session on "Establishing Data Archives in Developing Countries", which featured presentations on experiences of the Accelerated Data Programme (ADP), a global statistical capacity building initiative implemented by ESCAP in the Asian and Pacific region. During this session, Mr S.A.S. Bandulasena, of the Sri Lankan Department of Census and Statistics, spoke to the Conference participants about the recent microdata archiving achievements in Sri Lanka. Next year's IASSIST Conference will be hosted by the Finnish Data Archive in Helsinki, Finland.

 

Ms Diah Yulianti, Project Staff, Microdata Project, Statistics Division

Jakarta, Indonesia, 2-13 June, 2008: To assist and provide technical assistance to the Indonesia National Statistics Office (Badan Pusat Statistik/BPS) in the implementation of the ESCAP Microdata Management project. The project, which is the regional component of the global Accelerated Data Programme (ADP), aims at improving microdata management practices at NSOs as a means to ultimately improve access to microdata for policy-relevant research. During the mission, Ms. Yulianti conducted meetings with several Sub-Directorates of the BPS in order to follow-up on initiatives for improving documentation, preservation and dissemination of survey microdata. Ms. Yulianti also presented a general review/feedback on the metadata database the BPS is maintaining, and a "bridge" program for converting the information to DDI-XML format. The main result of the mission was an assessment of the progress and quality of the metadata documentation and a work plan for improved documentation of surveys and censuses microdata in Indonesia.

 

Staff movement (2nd Quarter 2008) 

Recent Arrival of new SIAP lecturer

Mr Hiroshige Furuta joined the Faculty of the Institute as Lecturer/Statistician in May 2008.

He studied mathematics at Kyoto University obtaining a bachelor degree in science. He worked in the Japanese Government for 29 years, serving for most of his career in official statistics in different capacities, including as Director first of the Labour Force Statistics Division, then the Consumer Statistics Division, the Statistical Information Division, the Population Census Division and of the Statistical Research and Training Institute. Through these duties, he acquired extensive knowledge and experience in the field of

analysis and dissemination of population, labour and consumer statistics as well as in sampling design, planning of statistical activities and survey operations. During this period, he conducted intensive research activities, wrote

papers and published books. In addition, he worked for the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, the Republic of Korea, from 1984 to 1987 as First Secretary.

After leaving the government service and prior to joining SIAP he worked for 5 years in different companies. As Advisor of IBM Japan, he contributed to the government project on the development of the Optimization Plan for official statistics. As Director of Research and Development of SINFONICA (a non-profitable research organization), he conducted research activities on the use of official micro data and wrote research papers. As a part-time lecturer, he taught for three year courses on advanced statistics and mathematics for economic analysis at the Graduates School of Economics, Tokyo International University. He was also appointed to the special committee of the Statistical Council and a member of editorial board reviewing research papers on official statistics. Over the last 10 years he has been a regular contributor of educational articles on programming techniques for statistical processing in the magazine "Estrela", published by SINFONICA.

 

Publication and data release (2nd Quarter 2008) 

CD ROM Version of the Training Manual on Disability Statistics

The CD ROM version of the Training Manual on Disability Statistics is now available. This CD ROM version of the Manual will serve as an off-line learning tool benefiting not only statisticians but also a wider range of experts and users of data on disability. It focuses on enhancing the implementation of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)-based approach to disability measurement, by providing an overview of the ICF framework as well as guidelines on how to operationalize the concepts of functioning and disability into data collection, dissemination and analysis. The CD ROM version of the Manual is a joint product of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

 

Visitors to ESCAP Statistics Division, April - June 2008 Mr Dilip Kumar Bhadra, Senior Statistical Officer, Census Win, BBS, Planning Division, Ministry of Planning,

Bangladesh Mr Matthew Hengesbaugh, ILO Regional Office for Asia and Pacific Rakawin Leechanavanichpan, Programme Officer, Asian Programme on Governance of Labout Migration,

ILO Regional Office for Asia and Pacific Ms Hiroko Okamoto, Nissan LPIE Nissan Science Foundation Ms Sawako Takeuchi, Professor at the Kyoto University and Programme Director, Nissan LPIE Nissan

Science Foundation.

Mr Olivier Dupriez, Senior Economist-Statistician, The World Bank, USA Mr T. Palanivel, Senior Programme Advisor, UNDP Regional Centre in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Mr Omar Noman, Chief, Policies and Programmes, UNDP Regional Centre in Colombo, Sri Lanka Mr Mahesh Patel, Regional Adviser - Social Policy and Economic Analysis, UNICEF Bangkok. Ms Radhika Behuria, Programme Analyst - Gender, UNDP Regional Centre Ms Patricia Alexander, Regional Gender Coordinator, UNDP Regional Centre in Colombo, Sri Lanka Mr Sabrina Krank, Chair of Sustainable Construction, Institute for Construction Engineering and

Management Mr Raymond Brandes, UNV Programme Officer, UNDP Bangkok Mr Isidoro P. David, Consultant - Statistics, Philippine Mr John Dunmore, Consultant - Market and Trade Economics, USA Mr Carlos A. Tarazona Cervantes, Evaluation Officer, Office of Programme, Budget and Evaluation, FAO

Rome, Italy Mr Tatsuji Nishikawa, OECD Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr Kanji Wada, Kyoto University, Japan Dr Wassana Im-em, Assistant Representative, UNFPA Thailand

 

Meetings and training courses of Statistics Division and SIAP, 2008 

The list of future events is provided for coordination purposes only. The list may be incomplete and events, dates and venues may change. Please do not publish or disseminate the list without confirming the latest information with the Statistics Division or SIAP, as appropriate. Note that not all meetings are intended for all countries.

Date Organizer Meeting Venue

30 June - 4 July

SIAP/ADBSIAP/ADB Country Training Workshop on MDGs and Use of Administrative Data Systems for Statistical Purposes,http://www.unsiap.or.jp, http://www.adb.org

Kathmandu, Nepal

30 June - 8 August

SIAP Seventh Research-based Regional Course,http://www.unsiap.or.jpDaejeon, Republic of Korea

7-11 July SIAP/ADBSIAP/ADB Country Training Workshop on MDGs and Use of Administrative Data Systems for Statistical Purposes,http://www.unsiap.or.jp, http://www.adb.org

Colombo

14 July - 12 Septembe

SIAP Fourth Group Training Course in Analysis, Interpretation and Dissemination of Official Statistics (Social Statistics),http://www.unsiap.or.jp

Chiba, Japan

r

22 July - 22 September

SIAPArea Focused Training Course in Collection and Analysis of Official Economic Statistics for Central Asian Countries,http://www.unsiap.or.jp

Chiba, Japan

9-12 September

SD/UNSDUNSD/ESCAP Workshop for Developing Countries on the Revision of the International Recommendations for International Merchandise Trade Statistics (IMTS)

Bangkok

15-19 September

SD/UNSDUNSD/ESCAP Regional Workshop on Census data processing: contemporary technologies for data capture, methodology and practice of data editing, documentation and archiving

Bangkok

15-19 September

SIAP/ADBSIAP/ADB Country Training Workshop on MDGs and Use of Administrative Data Systems for Statistical Purposes,http://www.unsiap.or.jp, http://www.adb.org

Ulaanbaatar

22-26 September

SIAP/ADBSIAP/ADB Country Training Workshop on MDGs and Use of Administrative Data Systems for Statistical Purposes,http://www.unsiap.or.jp, http://www.adb.org

Hanoi

22-26 September

SIAP/ADBSIAP/ADB Country Training Workshop on MDGs and Use of Administrative Data Systems for Statistical Purposes,http://www.unsiap.or.jp, http://www.adb.org

Palau

22-26 September

SIAP, ILOSIAP/ILO Training Course on Data Collection through Rapid Assessments and Baseline Surveys, http://www.unsiap.or.jp,http://www.ilo.org/

Chiba, Japan

29 September - 13 March 2009

SIAPFourth Group Training Course in Modules on Fundamental Official Statistics, http://www.unsiap.or.jp

Chiba, Japan

6-8 October

SD/SIAPWorkshop for Project Countries on National Accounts Estimation of Informal Sector Activities,http://www.unescap.org/stat/

Bangkok

13-15 October

SIAPSeventh Management Seminar for the Heads of NSOs in Asia and the Pacific, http://www.unsiap.or.jp

Shanghai, China

27 October - 14 November

SIAPFourth Sub-regional Course on Statistics for the Pacific Island Developing Countries, http://www.unsiap.or.jp

Fiji or Tonga

3 days in October

SDPre-pilot study regional workshop on disability statistics,http://www.unescap.org/stat/

Bangkok

11-12 November

SIAP Fourth session of Governing Council, http://www.unsiap.or.jp Chiba

3 days in November

SD/ESIDExpert group meeting on data exchange and sharing technologies, http://www.unescap.org/stat/,http://www.unescap.org/esid/

Bangkok

10-12 December

SD/UNSDWorkshop on Coordination of reporting mechanisms and Data Discrepancies in monitoring the MDGs,http://www.unescap.org/stat/, http://unstats.un.org,

Bangkok

15-17 December

SD Committee on Statistics, http://www.unescap.org/stat/ Bangkok

Q1 in 2009

SIAPFourth Regional Course/Workshop on Statistical Quality Management and Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics,http://www.unsiap.or.jp

Daejeon, Republic of Korea

 

Other forthcoming statistical meetings in the ESCAP region, 2008The following list of future events has been compiled, for coordination purposes only, on the basis of information available to the Statistics Division as of 27 June. Readers are strongly advised to verify the correctness with the indicated organizers. Events, dates and venues may change. Please do not republish or disseminate the list.

Date Organizer Meeting Venue

14-16 October

IAOSIAOS Conference on Smart Data, Innovative Uses - Reshaping Official Statistics, http://www.stats.govt.nz/iaos/home.htm

Shanghai, China

13-14 November

Statistics Bureau, Japan

Twelfth Meeting of the Heads of National Statistical Offices of East Asian Countries, http://www.stat.go.jp/english/index.htm

Tokyo

 

The calendar of statistical meetings in Asia and the Pacific is maintained on ESCAP web sitehttp://www.unescap.org/stat/meet/events_Asia_Pacific.asp

PARIS21 is maintaining event calendars for Africa and Asia at http://www.paris21.org/pages/events/all-events/list/

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