2030 World Population and Housing Census Programme

Recommends that Member States consider the fourth revision of the Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses as the international standard for conducting population and housing censuses and for concepts, definitions and classifications on population and related statistics, to promote integration across data sources and statistical domains and to enhance data comparability within and across countries;

Urges Member States to conduct at least one population and housing census or otherwise produce population and socioeconomic statistics at the small area level under the 2030 World Population and Housing Census Programme, taking into account, as appropriate, the fourth revision of the Principles and Recommendations and other related international and regional recommendations, giving particular attention to advance planning, cost efficiency, coverage and the timely dissemination of, and easy access to census results for all, in order to inform decisions and facilitate the effective implementation of development plans and programmes;

Invites Member States to consider georeferencing their censuses, allowing aggregation to the lowest appropriate geographical level, dissemination of geocoded census data, as well as enabling the integration of geospatial information, census data and other data sources, while ensuring data confidentiality;

Encourages Member States to enhance their exploration and use of administrative data sources to support census operations and to consider the establishment of national statistical population registers; the establishment of such registers should be undertaken only in full compliance with their national development plans and priorities and in accordance with the provisions of the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics, including the requirement to protect the confidentiality and privacy of individual records, and under clear and unambiguous legal provisions which include permission to exploit the national statistical population register solely for statistical purposes in line with national rules and regulations;³

Requests the Secretary-General to prepare or update international statistical standards, methods and guidelines to facilitate the planning and implementation of the 2030 round of population and housing censuses, and to translate these publications into the official languages of the United Nations to promote wider accessibility;

Also requests the Secretary-General to provide technical assistance to national statistical offices, upon their request, including through regional and subregional activities, and taking into account the different levels of development of Member States, to facilitate the exchange of experiences and lessons learned, and to strengthen national capacity to implement the 2030 World Population and Housing Census Programme;

Further requests the Secretary-General to develop platforms for exchanging knowledge, national experiences, practices and lessons learned in conducting population and housing censuses, including in the utilization of administrative sources;

Requests the Secretary-General to strengthen coordination and cooperation among partners and relevant stakeholders to assist Member States, upon their request, in implementing the Programme;

Also requests the Secretary-General to regularly report to the Statistical Commission on the implementation of the Programme.