Signature of the Memorandum of Understanding on the International Monitoring Operation of the Population and Housing Census in BiH

A Memorandum of Understanding between the European Commission, the Council of Europe and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina on the International Monitoring Operation of the Population and Housing Census in BiH was signed today in the Building of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The International Monitoring Operation (IMO) will observe and ensure that the Population and Housing Census in Bosnia and Herzegovina complies with international standards. The monitoring will be carried out by a Committee of International Organisations, assisted by a Senior Census Expert, experts in Population Census and Information technology experts.

The Management Group of the Monitoring Operation is composed of the European Commission, the Council of Europe and the United Nations (UNSD, UNECE, UNPD and UNFPA) and it will be chaired by EUROSTAT – the Statistical Office of the European Commission.

The monitoring will strengthen the credibility and reliability of the census results. It will supervise different stages of the collection and processing of data to ensure that they are handled in line with international standards. The presence of the international organisations will provide legitimacy to the data so that they are recognised by the international community, including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

The Population and Housing Census is planned to take place in April 2013 and it is based on the law that the BiH Parliamentary Assembly adopted in February 2012.

Bosnia and Herzegovina has not carried out a census since 1991. Updated statistical information of the population and housings in the whole country is therefore indispensable for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s EU integration process and for its socio-economic planning in the next years.

A census is an important information source to allow that decisions are based on reliable statistics. The census will count the number of people in all municipalities and register the employment situation and housing conditions. All information will remain anonymous and will only be used for statistical purposes.

 

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