UNITED NATIONS, New York - The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has just finished compiling the largest collection of socio-demographic data in Burundi since the beginning of the country's civil war in 1993. The new data, resulting from surveying 7,500 households in rural and urban areas, as well as the country's displacement camps, will facilitate the adoption of the appropriate national development plans by the government, academic institutions and health agencies. The data will also help in formulating rehabilitation and reconstruction plans in a more effective way.

UNFPA started compiling the data last July with the help of more than 200 well-trained surveyors. The surveyors were able to visit more than 230 sites around the country, reaching more than 50,000 people who lived at 1,000 urban households, 2,800 rural households, and 3,600 displaced households.

The surveyors employed flexible and accurate means of population sampling to examine Burundi's population structure and its socio-economic and demographic characteristics in rural and urban settings. That included collecting household-specific information and data on reproductive health, particularly with regard to contraception, abortions, maternal mortality, conditions of childbearing and childbirth, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS. The surveyors also looked into the rates of fertility, mortality and marriage, and documented the history of recent migrations and patterns of violence against women.

The survey was funded by the European Union and supported by the government and numerous scientific and academic research institutions in Burundi. UNFPA is currently analyzing the collected data and the final results will be announced by the end of the year.

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UNFPA is the world's largest multilateral source of population assistance. Since it became operational in 1969, it has provided more than $5 billion to developing countries to meet reproductive health needs and support sustainable development issues.