Vanuatu’s National Statistics Office has released 2016 Mini Census Report.
The Mini Census was conducted in response to the recent disasters affecting the country, to update the list of households affected by the disasters.
A statement said the Mini Census also provided an opportunity to update basic counts of certain government programs and policies.
Apart from basic count of population and households, information such as the birth certificate registration, the electoral card registration, the RSE/SWP participation and people with bank accounts can be found in the report. Other household information include disaster related information, use of telecommunication network, agriculture, fisheries and livestock information, use of solar lighting and value adding activities. There is information on water, sanitation and many more.
“The Mini Census information is very rich’ said the Government Statistician, Simil Johnson.
“The information in the report is available at area council level. It is important to release this information at this level to assist sub provincial level planning, as part of the government decentralisation efforts”, he added.
The Government Statistician stated that the mini census undertaking was historical in many ways.
It is the first time VNSO has ever conducted a Mini Census and that Vanuatu was the first Pacific Island country to have used Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) in a census.
The use of ICT devices that collects information and submit over the internet using the World Bank Survey Solutions application enabled to the report to be released 6 months after fieldwork.
This is important as far as timeliness of information is concerned.
The operation being fully funded by the Vanuatu government, reflecting the commitment and recognition towards evidence-based decision making.
The Government Statistician acknowledged the government and civil society cooperation and support in the national undertaking.
He echoed the Ministers call for users of the report to make full use of the results to ensure that decisions made are evidence made.