Duration: 7 months
Proposed Period: May to December 2016
1. Background
The Government of the Kingdom of Swaziland is committed to ensuring that data for planning and development are routinely updated to promote accountability and good governance. The census is expected to provide basic socio-economic data about all persons in Swaziland to monitor vision 2022, the National Development Strategy, and a host of other sector strategies as well as contribute towards benchmarking for Agenda 2030. It will identify vulnerable populations and those left behind such as persons living with disabilities, female headed households and the extent to which human rights in education, health and the economy are addressed.
The census is conducted as part of the routine data collection system to update population data every ten (10) years. Since 1966, Population and Housing Censuses (PHC) were conducted every 10 years. The last census was carried out in 2007 and the next one, whose preparations have already started, is due in April/May 2017.
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) with support from UNFPA has so far produced a census project document which is a detailed plan to guide the preparation and implementation of the 2017 PHC. It provides a census operational project in terms of planning, organization, budgeting, implementation, and management of the census operations across the country.
The 2017 PHC represents a paradigm shift in the history of census undertaking in Swaziland because it is the first census to utilize computer-based equipment for mapping as well as data collection. A rigorous testing exercise involving different types of mobile gadgets was undertaken in 2015 to determine the choice of mobile equipment that would best fit the infrastructural environment currently in place at the Central Statistics Office. The testing exercise identified tablets as the most appropriate and cost effective device for both mapping and census enumeration as opposed to other GIS based gadgets such as the Juno Trimble whose function is only limited to mapping. It is anticipated that the census data will be transmitted directly by internet from the tablets to the central server to be based at Census Office headquarters. Only in exceptional cases would there be a need to transmit data through the regional census offices.
Cartographic work will start in February 2016 and shall be completed in October 2016. It is planned that other processes such as development and testing of data entry application, pilot census etc. shall run in parallel with the mapping.
2. Rationale
Data processing is a highly technical operation in census undertaking and has become even more so with the advent of mobile technology. Whilst CSO has some experience in the use mobile technology for household data collection, it would be first time for the office to utilize mobile equipment at the level of the census. As such, the process requires high level technical support to ensure that the census data machinery is well coordinated.
3. Objective of the consultancy
The long-term objective is to develop capacities within Swaziland for collection and analysis of data from censuses and surveys through the use of mobile technologies. The project will result in sustainability of data collection and analysis in the future through increased capabilities, better frames for future surveys, quality maps, and expanded data processing systems.
4. Specific Tasks
The consultants will, under the overall guidance of the Principal Secretary of Economic Planning and Development and under the direct supervision of the Director of CSO and working in close collaboration with the UNFPA Country Office, undertake the following tasks:
1. Work with CSO to develop, test and implement the CSPro mobile application(s) for data collection
2. Work with CSO to develop, test and implement data transfer application(s) that will be utilized by supervisors to transfer data from the field to the CSO Central Servers during the main census.
3. Work with CSO to develop, test and implement a web-based application for data entry at the census sub-regional office for paper based questionnaires.
4. Work with CSO to develop, test and implement edit/imputation programs in CSPro to identify and correct structural errors, range errors, and inconsistencies among the variables.
5. Work with CSO to run, edit/imputation programs to produce the final clean dataset in CSPro and SPSS.
6. Work with CSO to develop a computer program based on the tabulation plan, including detailed table specifications, and to produce these tabulations using CSPro and SPSS.
7. Manage the server database.
8. Guide CSO in the review of the census data file, and tabulations to detect possible inconsistencies.
9. Further train the CSO staff on all of the above phases of data processing to build capacity in the use of mobile technology for use in subsequent surveys.
5. Qualification requirements:
- Post-graduate University Degree or equivalent in Computer Science and or Statistics/ Mathematics.
- At least 10 years of relevant, progressive experience in census or household survey undertaking, particularly in a developing country.
- Knowledge of CSPro android is essential.
6. Other desirable skills
• Good interpersonal skills
• Sound analytical and writing skills
• Computer skills
• Good knowledge of national and global data concerns
10. Deliverables
- Fully functional and error free data collection application (s)
- Functional and efficient data transmission system from the field to the central server (s)
- A detailed report outlining the above processes
- A mission report
11. Application Procedures
Interested candidates who meet the above qualifications may send their applications by email to mlotsa@unfpa.org by Friday 11 March, 2016. Applications should have a letter expressing interest to undertake the consultancy, financial proposal, curriculum vitae, certified copies of certificates, and a filled P11 form (/resources/p11-un-personal-history-form).