UN completes major socio-demographic data collection

The largest collection of socio-demographic data since the civil war erupted in 1993 was recently completed by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and should serve to help health workers and government officials make better decisions about national development, the UN agency's office in the Burundi capital, Bujumbura, reported. It will also contribute towards a better understanding of the impact that nine years of war has had on the population, and how rehabilitation and reconstruction plans might be made more effective. The primary objectives of the data-gathering included obtaining information pertaining to Burundi's population structure and its socioeconomic and demographic characteristics in rural and urban settings; household-specific data; reproductive health, particularly with regard to contraception, abortion, maternal mortality, conditions of childbearing and childbirth, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS; fertility, mortality and marriage rates; history of recent migrations; and patterns of violence against women. UNFPA has deemed the data collection exercise, completed on 28 September, a "great success", attributed primarily to strong cooperation with government authorities, well-trained surveyors, and a flexible and accurate means of population sampling. A total 7,500 households were surveyed in rural areas, displacement camps, and the urban centres of Bujumbura, Gitega and Ngozi. The information gathered will be entered into a database for use by the government, academic institutions, and health agencies. UNFPA plans to make preliminary results of the survey available by the end of 2002, while its final report is anticipated by June 2003. Implemented jointly by both the Ministry of the Interior and UNFPA, the project received financial support from the EU and involved the collaboration of numerous scientific and academic research institutions.