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Over the years, official statistics have shown an increasing territorial focus on providing detailed and quality information. The Population and Housing Census has always ensured the availability of sub-municipal data useful for social, economic, and environmental decision-making processes. The new Italian Permanent Census focuses heavily on the integration of administrative and sample data and plans to provide more stable and consistent statistical data at the various territorial levels every year. Within this framework, sub-municipal data are derived from the integration of the Base Register of Individuals and the Base Register of Places. Data accuracy depends on the quality of the registers and the procedures adopted to integrate and process the input data. In this regard, Istat is working to improve geocoding information and linking procedures. One of the problems encountered is the presence of non-geocoded units due to problems in the administrative data. Istat has studied a procedure that integrates deterministic and probabilistic approaches to assign the enumeration area code to these critical units. It was conducted an experimental study to assess the quality of the imputation procedure. In this paper, we discuss the approach adopted, the evaluation process, the results obtained, and the impact on data quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Census of a nation's people and housing provides statistics about its health, income and social structures at a local level. While the demand for these statistics is unchanged the way they are collected is changing in many nations because of common drivers: cost pressure, web-based collection, decreasing response rates, environmental shocks and the availability of administrative data. Within this context, this paper gives an overview of the evolution of the Census in Israel, Italy, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom and thereby provides an insight of the challenges and solutions of the modern Census. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many countries, including Ethiopia, sample surveys are designed to produce estimates of variables of interest at the national and regional levels due to cost and operational considerations. For example, household food insecurity estimates are needed down at least at the zone level in Ethiopia to offer targeted solutions. However, the sample sizes of sample surveys are often not large enough to produce reliable estimates at the small area (zone) level. This paper remedies some of these shortcomings by estimating household food insecurity in each zone of Ethiopia by linking data from the 2015/16 welfare and monitoring survey and the 2007 population census using a small area estimation (SAE) approach. The results show the zonal level household food insecurity estimates generated by SAE were more efficient and precise compared to the survey-based estimates. Besides, accurate and cost-effective food insecurity statistics at the zonal level were produced without more resources through combining the available data sources. Finally, zonal level household food insecurity estimates could be the recommended tools for monitoring the progress of sustainable development goals (SDGs) in Ethiopia. Because, in the final 2030 Agenda, SDG 2 concentrates entirely on food security, recognizing much of its complex and multi-faceted nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policymakers and healthcare service managers demand reliable, accurate and disaggregated information about child deaths at the sub-national level to plan and monitor healthcare service delivery and health outcomes. In support of this demand, this research aimed at providing reliable local municipality estimates of the under-5 mortality rate (U5MR) in South Africa. The paper used a small area estimation approach to improve the precision of local municipality estimates of U5MR by linking data from the 2016 Community Survey (CS) and the 2011 Population Census (PC). The diagnostic measures and validation of the reliability of the results showed that the local municipality estimates of U5MR produced by small area estimation are more efficient and precise than direct estimates of U5MR based only on the CS data. Further, accurate and cost-effective local municipality estimates of U5MR were produced without the need for more resources through combining the available data sources. This was achievable since the research did not require a separate survey for this purpose. The results can be used to monitor U5MR at the local level in South Africa since they link directly with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the extent of poverty in different districts (small domains) of the State of Odisha, India using direct, synthetic, composite, and model based small area estimation techniques. The district level poverty estimates are based on data collected during the 68th round survey (2011-12) of the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) and 2011 Population Census of India. It is shown that the model-based district level estimates are reasonably more reliable compared to other methods under comparison as confirmed by the diagnostic procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the invitation of the University of Minnesota Population Center (MPC) the author carried out an assessment of the IPUMS International integrated census microdata programme during January-March 2016. The terms of reference included the assessment of the measures taken by the MPC to safe guard the security of the microdata, the quality and adequacy of services provided, characteristics of users and satisfaction with IPUMS, use of available microdata, support to participating developing country National Statistical Offices (NSOs) and adequacy of a proposed Remote Data Center (RDC). The conclusions of the review are that IPUMS International is a unique, flexible, successful and secure programme for managing access to anonymized, harmonised and integrated microdata to academic users and policy makers. While currently the user base is predominantly in developed countries, steps are being taken to expand usage by researchers world-wide. The physical, methodological and technical arrangements for safeguarding the security and confidentiality of the data files are excellent; the possibilities of breaches are minimal. Data users have very positive opinions of the quality of the data, scope of services and expertise of staff but desire more detailed, up-to-date microdata. NSOs rate IPUMS International and its services positively but request advanced methodological training for staff and regular information on the use of their country's data. IPUMS International planned activities are presented and their contributions to census methodology are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]