In the afternoon, November 19, 2018, in Hanoi, the Central Steering Committee for the 2019 Population and Housing Census (hereafter called the Central Steering Committee for the 2019 Census) held the first session to review the preparation for the 2019 Census. Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue – Head of the Central Steering Committee for Population and Housing Census chaired the session, with attendance of members of the Central Steering Committee who are representatives of ministries and line-ministries, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Vietnam and press agencies.

At the session, Mr. Pham Quang Vinh – Deputy Director General of GSO, standing commissioner of the Central Steering Committee – presented the report on results of preparation for the 2019 Census. Accordingly, some preparations for the Census have been completed, including: (1) Completing the legal basis for the implementation of the 2019 Census; (2) Establishing the Steering Committee for the 2019 Census at central and local levels and ministries; (3) Completing the design of the Census with the following contents: Determining the content of the Census and completing questionnaires; Dividing survey areas and drawing the map of communes/wards; Making the sample design for the Census; Identifying methods and forms of information collection; Developing a propaganda plan for the Census; Updating and supplementing regularly the Census implementation plan; (4) Developing documents and guidelines; (5) Organizing training workshops at central and local levels on management and listing of households; (6) Making an estimate of expenses for implementing the Census.

The report also emphasized the work to be done in the coming time and offered recommendations and proposals for successfully implementing the 2019 Census; recommendations to improve the method of information collection from administrative data in order to reach the goal of not implement the 2029 Population and Housing Census.

In the directing speech, Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue affirmed: “The 2019 Census has a very important meaning in the context that Viet Nam is preparing for the XIII National Party Congress, in which it will evaluate the implementation of the Socio-Economic Development Strategy 2010-2020 and the development of the Socio-Economic Development Strategy for the next 10 years, the period of 2021-2030. At the same time, this Census will provide information for assessing the implementation of the 5-year socio-economic development plans for 2016-2020 and developing the socio-economic development plans for the period 2021-2025. The Census’s results will also contribute to creating a basis for monitoring the implementation of the Resolution of the 12th Central Standing Committee of the Communist Party of Viet Nam on population affairs in the new context and the fulfillment of the Viet Nam’s Sustainable Development Goals by 2030”.

The Deputy Prime Minister stressed: “The 2019 Census is carried out in the context that the country’s socio-economic situation has a strong development compared to 10 years ago, especially the world witnesses the development of information technology in the fourth industrial revolution (industry 4.0). The implementation of the Census needs to meet the requirements for output data: effectiveness, sufficiency and accuracy in the shortest time, but also need to reduce the cost of the Census. The output data should contribute to reflect the integrated issues related to ethnicity, new rural development and poverty reduction, etc. as well as serve the development and implementation of policies on rural population, agricultural labor, population, free migration of provinces, cities, houses for people with meritorious services, houses for low-income people, etc. in order to clarify the quality of population and the quality of people’s life.

The session also spent a lot of time for members of the Steering Committee to report on the preparation of each ministry, line-ministry as well as the coordination between ministries, line-ministries with the Ministry of Planning and Investment in implementing the 2019 Census. The ministries, line-ministries agreed with the proposals of the Ministry of Planning and Investment that they would closely coordinate in the implementation of relevant works in order to successfully carryout out the 2019 Census. In which, Ministry of Information and Communications will take charge of ensuring the smooth information transmission network among all levels from local to central during the fieldwork, and supporting the sending of propaganda messages on the Census to domestic subscribers, etc.

In his closing remarks of the session, Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue appreciated the initiative, careful preparation and new points for this Census of the Ministry of Planning and Investment, General Statistics Office, as well as the initiative and activeness in coordination of ministries, line-ministries to prepare for the 2019 Census. The Deputy Prime Minister also asked ministries, line-ministries to continue to strengthen the coordination with the Ministry of Planning and Investment in order to well implement this Census. Specifically, the Ministry of Finance provides sufficient and timely funding, ensuring that the Census is implemented in accordance with the plan and schedule proposed; The Ministry of Information and Communications ensures the smoothness of information transmission network during the Census, ensuring network security and information security during the implementation. He agreed with the proposals of the Central Steering Committee, especially the organization of online conference among the Central Steering Committee and the Steering Committees at provincial level, together with the attendance of executive committees at localities in order to thoroughly grasp and assign the tasks to carry out the Census.

Some images of the session:

Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue – Head of the Central Steering Committee for Population and Housing Census chaired the session

Overview of the session

 Source: Figures and Events Journal