Ms. Ola Awad, Announces the Launching of the Fieldwork Activities for the Population Housing and Establishments Census 2017

Ms. Ola Awad, President of the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics "PCBS"/National Director of the Census, announced the launching of the census fieldwork activities, highlighting that PCBS is preparing for conducting the census in all Palestinian governorates and localities during 2017, taking into account that this is the third census to be conducted by the Palestinians under an independent Palestinian decision and it is going to be the first time conducting the census using modern technologies in collecting data through tablets and GIS.

Ms. Awad also added that the census is considered the largest statistical process to be conducted nationally and it is conducted every ten years aiming to secure a comprehensive database covering different demographic, economic, social characteristics as well as the housing conditions of the population of the State of Palestine, where such data is used for the purposes of development planning and policy making and it represents a comprehensive frame for conducting the different statistical surveys.

Ms. Awad also indicated that in order to ensure making this important national project a success, the Census National Team will divide the localities into numeration areas to facilitate data collection process, where each area includes about 150-200 housing units; this process is called the delineation of numeration areas and it is going to start on 15/07/2017 up to 07/08/2017. During this phase, certain numbers and guiding signs in red will be placed on the walls of the buildings, housings and establishments to highlight the boundaries of each numeration area. This process is the first phase of conducting the census.

Ms. Awad stated that the success of census requires from all of us taking the responsibility of keeping the said numbers and guiding signs as they are very crucial to ensure comprehensiveness and accuracy of conducting the census and that removing/changing them by anyone is considered an illegal act in addition to wasting the accumulated efforts over the past years. Thus and based on our responsibility and good citizenship, we are all required to ensure keeping them safe from change or removal and to cooperate with the census fieldworkers after showing their IDs; as all census fieldwork crews will be holding official IDs with a color personal photo, name, ID number, job title and place of work in addition to PCBS title and logo, Signature of PCBS President and census logo.

Ms. Awad also assured that all data will be collected during the census fieldwork and that the data is collected for statistical purposes only, where any data will be disseminated in form of statistical tables and figures and stressed on the fact that the personal individual information will remain confidential and secured at PCBS in accordance with the General Statistics Law – 2000. And announced that PCBS welcomes any inquiries from the citizens on the census through the following toll-free number (1800300300).