Speaking during the tour, Reverend Saw Shwe Lin of the Myanmar Council of Churches commended the Department of Population and UNFPA for involving diverse groups in the Census processes. “It is important to maintain the involvement of different groups in order to build trust among stakeholders in the Census process,” he said. 

The group observed the process of receiving questionnaires and preparing them for scanning; the questionnaire scanning itself; computer based key corrections; and population summary data entry which will enable the government to produce preliminary census results by the end of August 2014. The Department of Population and UNFPA officials also explained to the group the process of coding open-ended questions such as ethnicity, occupation and industry. 

Members of the group encouraged the Ministry of Immigration and Population to consult widely, particularly on the analysis and release of ethnicity data. “There have to be wide consultations with relevant ethnic groups and stakeholders on the way the ethnicity data will be released and presented,” said Salai Ceu Bik Thaung of the Chin National Action Committee on Census (CNACC). 

Speaking on behalf of the Department of Population, National Census Coordinator U Nyi Nyi said the Department encourages different stakeholders to visit the Data Processing activities so that they understand and appreciate the process. This was a second of the several planned visits by different groups to the Census Office, having hosted local and international media in May 2014. Other groups that have been lined up to tour the data processing activities include Ambassadors and Heads of international organizations, Political Parties, Parliamentarians and organizations involved in the peace process. 

UNFPA, represented by Ms Petra Righetti and Mr Fredrick Okwayo, said that the census results will present a good opportunity for the country to engage in evidence-based decision making, stating that “It is important that all people get to know the steps involved in the census process”. UNFPA emphasised the importance it places on consultation with various interest groups and said this visit was part of a larger effort to prepare for a correct understanding and use of census results. 

The Myanmar Census enumeration took place between 30 March and 10 April 2014. All questionnaires have since been delivered to the Census Office at the Department of Population in Nay Pyi Taw, where the scanning and data processing is in progress. The Census activities are being implemented with financial and technical support from UNFPA.