The Statistical Institute of Belize today held the official launch of the 2020 Population and Housing Census at the Radisson Fort George Hotel in Belize City. This event saw the participation and attendance of a wide cross section of stakeholders, including the public sector, private sector, international agencies, diplomatic corps, NGOs, and the media. Additionally, prizes were awarded to the winners of the Census 2020 Logo, Slogan and Jingle Competitions. The winning entries, including the new Census slogan, “Count Me In”, will form a part of the ongoing public awareness campaign leading up to 2020.
The Census is conducted every ten years in Belize and is the largest and most costly data gathering activity carried out by the country. Data collected will serve to inform planning, policy formulation and decision-making for years to come by providing insights into the characteristics and living conditions of the country’s population in areas such as health, education, disability, food security, migration, mortality, fertility, economic activity, crime, the environment, dwelling conditions and access to basic goods and services. Several innovations will be incorporated into the 2020 Census, which are expected to result in vast improvements in timeliness and quality over previous censuses. These include electronic data collection by means of tablets, the integration of geo-spatial data for easier location of households and more meaningful dissemination of results, a targeted reduction of time spent in the field from six to two months, and a first ever post-enumeration survey to validate data collected.
While the SIB’s preparations for the 2020 Population and Housing Census were started in 2016, the launch marks the official commencement of its public awareness campaign and the intensification of preparatory activities leading up to Census Day, which is scheduled for May 12, 2020.
