UAE: Census workers to visit homes in Ras Al Khaimah from February 1
Data collected via interviews will be kept confidential as second phase of census begins
Ras Al Khaimah: The Ras Al Khaimah Statistics Centre today officially announced the launch of the second phase of the ‘Emirate’s General Population, Housing, and Establishments Census 2023’, which will see field workers visiting all buildings and units, which were listed during the first phase, to collect more detailed information about each household and its members.
Dr Abdul Rahman Al Chayeb Al Naqbi, chairman of the High Census Committee and chairman of the Statistics Centre, emphasised the importance of the census in the provision of accurate data needed to inform government-level strategies and budget allocation in the coming years.
He said: “The census will generate comprehensive data on population dynamics, gender, age structure, nationality, and socio-economic characteristics for all the national and non-national resident population of the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah. Data on household composition and size will provide solid grounds for short term, mid-term and long-term forecasting of future needs at the community level and for the whole population of the Emirate in addition to helping in reviewing, updating or developing new policies, as needed. It will be a central pillar in helping achieve the goals of Vision 2030.”
What data will be collected?
The second phase – Population Census – which will be conducted throughout the entire month of February, will see field workers returning to the units identified and listed during the first phase to collect in-depth data on all household members. Information will include basic demographic characteristics and population dynamics, as well as all related variables and social characteristics such as educational enrolment and level, marital status, age at marriage, participation in the labour force, occupation, type of economic activity as well as durable goods and assets of the household, amongst other fields.
“We would like to thank residents for their support during this crucial phase of the census and urge them to provide our fieldworkers with all the information needed to complete the data collection process,” added Dr Al Naqbi .
All fieldworkers will be carrying Census-branded IDs containing individual QR codes that can be scanned at any time to verify their identity. All field workers speak Arabic and will be supported by a team of translators. They will conduct interviews and collect the data using handheld electronic tablets, which will transmit collected data in real-time and synchronise it with a central database. Household interviews to be conducted with the heads of households or an eligible member of the household who must be over 15 years of age.
In line with the Statistics Act, data collected at all levels – individual, household and business establishment – will be confidential and not revealed under any circumstances.
Upon completion of the population census data collection process, Ras Al Khaimah Statistics Centre will share the results through official channels with government agencies. The results of the general census will also be made available to the public.