Religion / Questions to religious affiliation Public consultation INSTAT November 12, 2018
Population and Housing Census 2020 • It will be based and conform international recommendations and regulations of the European Union • It will collect the information for all core topics embraced on Eurostat and United Nations recommendations 2
Classification of themes/topics According to Eurostat and UN recommendations, census questions are grouped in two main categories: Core topics Questions with a common interest and necessary/essential for statistical comparisons at international level. Non - core topics Optional questions based on the specific needs and request from users.
Non - core topics /questionnaire The decision to include non-core topics in the Census questionnaire depends on several considerations and national circumstances e.g. National requirements for given information Sensitive nature of census questions on religion Comparability to the previous census 4
Specificity of the questions • Collection of data should be based on free declaration of the respondents. • In particular cases (depending on users requests) it can be established an age limit . For children the applied rule is that the parent should answer to these questions. But it may be decided that this information will not be collected. • For these questions should be included an alternative answer ‘Other’, where the respondent can specify freely her/his religious affiliation 5
Specificity of the questions • For all respondents should be include another alternative to answer ‘ Prefer not to answer / declare ’ • Each country that includes religion in its census questionnaire should use the definition most appropriate to its specific information needs and circumstances 6
Census 2011 – The question 7
Results of Census 2011 Prefer not to answer 13.79 per cent Not relevant/not stated, 2.43 Responded per cent 83.78 per cent 8
Experience in the Balkan Region 2010 Census round Question on religious affiliation COUNTRY Type of question Declaration ALBANIA Open Free BOSNIA AND H. Open Free CROATIA Semi-open Free FYROM Open Free KOSOVO Closed Free MONTENEGRO Open Free SERBIA Open Free 9
Question - Census 2020 ALTERNATIVE I Do you belong to any religion? (Self-declaration, not obligatory) 1. Specify 2. I don’t belong to any religion, but I am a believer 3. I don’t belong to any religion and I am not a believer 4. Prefer not to answer 10
Question - Census 2020 ALTERNATIVE II Do you belong to any religion? (Self-declaration, not obligatory) 1. Yes Muslim Bektashi List of religious groups is subject of consultations Catholic with interest group Orthodox Evangelist Other (specify) 2. I don’t belong to any religion, but I am a believer 3. I don’t belong to any religion and I am not a believer 4. Prefer not to answer 11
Lessons learnt Advantages • Allows comparison and dynamics of data between two censuses; • Provide and official data; Disadvantages • High focus on sensitive questions loses the purpose of the process as a whole; • The political use of census data should be consensual as it involves the entire population; • Refusal of the census questionnaire due to sensitive questions; • Controversy on census results after the publication; • Reduced number of requests by the users for this type of information; • Using open question requires more processing and data cleaning; • Relevant data on religion can be collected using other surveys (examples from the field has shown that there are no issues in the response rate for this type of question). 12
Proposals for 2020 Census Questions on religious affiliation: Do you think the question of 2011 Census is appropriate or needs improvement? Have the 2011 Census results on religion been used by stakeholders and policymakers? Do you think the question on religion is necessary as part of Census 2020 questionnaire? 13
Thank you ! 14
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