The National Bureau of Statistics launches the PILOT census in 11 localities across the country, with the support of the European Union and UNFPA

Starting from August 28, 2023, the PILOT Census of the population and housing (CPH) will be conducted in 11 localities in the Republic of Moldova. For the first time, the census will be carried out using tablets, applying modern methods of data collection. The announcement was made by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) during a press conference on August 25, 2023.

The Pilot Census will be conducted in the period August 28 – October 10, 2023, and represents an important stage in the preparation process for the national population and housing census planned for the year 2024, which will be conducted with the financial and technical support of the European Union and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

The subjects of the census are: i) INDIVIDUALS with usual residence in the Republic of Moldova, including those residing abroad for up to 12 months (for work, studies, and other purposes); ii) RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS (inhabited or uninhabited) or those with other uses if they contain at least one place of residence, and iii) PLACES OF RESIDENCE located in any building, regardless of whether they are inhabited or not on the reference date of the pilot census (August 28, 2023).

The pilot census will include questions from the census questionnaires (made public) that pertain to demographic, social, and economic characteristics of the population, households, and their places of residence. In total, there will be 3 questionnaires: about the individual, the building and place of residence, and the communal living space.

To carry out the pilot census, especially data collection in the field, NBS has employed around 160 enumerators, supervisors, and temporary census staff. Enumerators will wear hats and shirts with census logos, carry identification badges, bags, and tablets with the census logo to register the responses provided by individuals in census questionnaires.

Additionally, during the event, the project “Support to the National Bureau of Statistics in Conducting the Census of Population and Housing 2024” was launched. This project is funded by the European Union and co-funded by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The project commenced its activities in June 2023 and has a duration of 30 months. The overall objective of the project is to enhance the institutional capacity of NBS in preparing and conducting the 2024 census.

The total value of the project is 2.075 million EUR, of which 2 million EUR represent the contribution of the European Union, and 75 thousand EUR come from UNFPA’s contribution.

“Accurate information about the population and housing is essential for policy development in areas such as health, education, social protection, and local public administration reform. Additionally, they are important for the proper allocation of budgetary funds. The European Union supports the census process by providing technical assistance and equipment that will contribute to the digitisation of data collection and processing, in line with European and international standards“, stated Jānis Mažeiks, the European Union Ambassador to the Republic of Moldova.

The data provided in the census by enumerated individuals will be strictly confidential and protected in accordance with Law No. 231/2022 on the Census of Population and Housing and Law No. 93/2017 on Official Statistics. They will be used solely for statistical purposes to develop and disseminate census results, without the possibility of identifying personal data.

According to Law No. 231/2022 on the Census of Population and Housing, Article 7 (2) d), participation in the census is mandatory for individuals.

The last census of population and housing took place in the Republic of Moldova in the year 2014.