The 2015 National Census campaign launched
Minister of State and of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and
Official Spokesperson for the Government of Timor-Leste
Díli, June 10th, 2015
The 2015 National Census campaign launched
On Monday, the campaign for Timor-Leste’s National Census of Population and Housing 2015 was launched in a ceremony outside the Government Palace, in Díli. The campaign will distribute information about the upcoming census due to begin on the 11th of July.
President of the Republic, Taur Matan Ruak, supported the launch of the campaign describing the census as a “unique tool that democratic nations use to understand the needs of their population.”
Prime Minister Dr. Rui Maria de Araújo urged all to participate and explained that the census was vital for good planning. “Do not forget, he said, “your answer counts and shapes the future policies and programs of or country.”
The theme of the 2015 Campaign is “From the People, For the People – Participate!”
This 2015 census will be Timor-Leste’s third, the first was held in 2004 and the second, more recently, in 2010. Data collected has been used to make informed decisions about the location and provision of services such as health and education and the location and development of appropriate infrastructure such as roads and bridges.
Every household in all 13 districts of Timor-Leste will be visited in the weeks following the 11th of July by specially trained teams of “enumerators”, or data collectors, who will ask questions of the head of the household regarding everyone who spent the night of the 11th of July at their residence. These teams are bound by secrecy so that the data collected cannot be linked to the names of any individuals or families. All enumerators will have appropriate identification.
The Director General of the General Directorate of Statistics, Mr. Antonio Freitas asked all residents to take note of who was in their household on the night of the 11th of July. He said at the launch “open your doors to the enumerator, be counted and be proud to be in a country which bases it’s planning on true and accurate data to reinforce our democracy.”
The 2015 National Census is a huge logistical undertaking of the Government of Timor-Leste conducted by the General Directorate of Statistics within the Ministry of Finance. Training of personnel began last year when a pilot census was undertaken in August in selected areas of 8 of Timor-Leste’s 13 districts.
The United Nations Population Fund [UNFPA], which assisted Timor-Leste’s census efforts in 2004 and 2010, are continuing their support in 2015. UN Women is also contributing this year by assisting with training and publicity.
Spokesperson for the Government of Timor-Leste, Minister of State Agio Pereira noted “The Government thanks all those involved in undertaking this enormous task and is appreciative of the participation of all the people of Timor-Leste. It is going to be very helpful to have the new information this 2015 census will produce. For the Sixth Constitutional Government, with its intense focus on effective spending and the delivery of quality services, reliable data such as these are vital.”
