The 2024 Mid-term Population and Housing Survey (the 2024 MPS) is being conducted with the main purpose of collecting information on population and housing as a basis for assessing the implementation of the Socio-Economic Development Plan for 2021–2025; developing policies and planning for population and housing to inform the Socio-Economic Development Plan for 2026–2030; monitoring the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to which the Government of Viet Nam has committed; and serving population statistics nationwide and in each locality.
National and international delegates attend the launch ceremony.
On the morning of 1 April, in Tay Ho District, Ha Noi, the launch ceremony for the 2024 Mid-term Population and Housing Survey officially took place, attracting a large number of delegates.
Opening the ceremony, Ms Nguyễn Thị Hương, Director General of the General Statistics Office (GSO), said that on 15 February 2023 the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 03/2023/QĐ-TTg promulgating the National Statistical Survey Programme. Under this programme, the Mid-term Population and Housing Survey is conducted between two Population and Housing Censuses, in years ending in 4. To implement the National Statistical Survey Programme, on 14 July 2023 the Director General of the GSO (Ministry of Planning and Investment) signed Decision No. 629/QĐ-TCTK promulgating the plan for the 2024 Mid-term Population and Housing Survey.
Director General Nguyễn Thị Hương affirmed that, given the particularly important requirement of improving the quality of survey information, the thorough application of information technology, which has been studied and adopted, will help statistical enumerators collect information easily and check data during the collection process itself. However, technology and equipment are only supporting tools; to ensure the quality of the survey, the most important factors remain the knowledge, skills and strict adherence of enumerators to survey procedures. To carry out data collection effectively and contribute to the success of the survey, on behalf of the Central Working Group, the Director General asked statistical enumerators to strictly comply with survey regulations and procedures, paying particular attention to improving the quality of information and clearly explaining the purpose, meaning and importance of the survey to respondents, so that every enumerator also acts as an advocate for its significance and importance. She asked supervisors to regularly check enumerators' daily progress, inform them of technical issues requiring attention, and answer their questions on survey methodology and the use of smart electronic devices.
According to the Director General, provincial and municipal working groups must also ensure that the survey follows the approved plan, timetable and schedule and meets the requirements of an effective and accurate survey.
"The 2024 Mid-term Population and Housing Survey is a relatively large survey with extensive content. Ha Noi is one of the two localities with the largest number of enumeration areas and survey units. The data collection phase in the field is extremely important; collecting information that fully and accurately reflects the actual situation of population and housing will help the Party and the State develop sound plans and strategies, laying the foundation for the rapid and sustainable development of the country and for an increasingly prosperous and happy city," emphasised Ms Nguyễn Thị Hương, Director General of the GSO.
Also speaking at the ceremony, Mr Nguyễn Đình Khuyến, Deputy Secretary of the District Party Committee and Chairman of the Tay Ho District People's Committee, said that, being fully aware of the meaning and importance of the survey, the Tay Ho District People's Committee had issued Plan No. 80/KH-UBND dated 8 March 2024 to direct the implementation of the survey in the district, assigning divisions, departments, sectors and ward People's Committees to coordinate closely and mobilising forces to take part. According to Mr Nguyễn Đình Khuyến, data collection in the field is an extremely important phase; collecting information that fully and accurately reflects the population and housing situation will help the district develop plans for economic, cultural, political and social development, improve state management in the locality, and build Tay Ho into a centre for services and cultural tourism in the capital.
Speaking at the launch, Mr Matt Jackson, Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Viet Nam, said he was honoured to take part in this important event, a milestone in the field of statistics, as the results of the survey will be the foundation for important policy decisions to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals in Viet Nam. "UNFPA Viet Nam is proud to have accompanied the General Statistics Office for nearly 50 years. Countries with quality data are those that achieve impressive growth and meet the needs of their people. Better data – better lives. In December 2023, I was very honoured to work with the General Statistics Office and Director General Hương to publish the findings of the overview study of Viet Nam's National Transfer Accounts – another valuable data source supporting policymakers," Mr Matt Jackson emphasised.
According to Mr Matt Jackson, the 2024 Mid-term Population and Housing Survey plays an important role, especially as Viet Nam is the 15th most populous country in the world, with a population of over 100 million. Viet Nam is undergoing significant demographic change, with rapid population ageing. The survey will collect important data not available in the current population database or other administrative data sources, such as women's fertility history, mortality, migration, sex imbalance at birth, disability, marriage/child marriage, educational attainment, the labour force and housing. Data from the survey will be used to update the country's Sustainable Development indicators, to compare with the results of previous Population and Housing Censuses, and to re-verify some national population projection indicators up to 2069.