UNMIK/PR/1291
PRISTINA – SRSG Søren Jessen-Petersen has promulgated the law on the census, opening the way for preparations to begin on the organisation of this important process for Kosovo’s political and economic development.
The Law on the Kosovo Population and Housing Census states that the census will provide information on the number and geographical distribution of the population, the demographic structure and main socio-economic characteristics of the population, as well as information on dwellings and buildings used for housing. The law also stipulates that all personal information given by Kosovo residents to census enumerators will be kept fully confidential.
The law, passed by the Assembly last year, has been promulgated in Regulation No. 2004/53, taking into account the unanimous recommendations of a three-member panel aimed at ensuring equitable access to the census by members of all communities.
Demographic data generated by the census will provide a solid basis for developing a variety of governmental policies related to local government reform and economic development, among others. The local institution in Kosovo responsible for conducting the census is the Statistical Office of Kosovo (SOK), closely supported by UNMIK’s Civil Administration Pillar and other international partners.
A Steering Committee involving the SOK, the Kosovo Government, community representatives, UNMIK and other international agencies will be established to monitor the process. This committee will be established in the first quarter of 2005 and will ensure that the necessary legal and institutional arrangements for conducting the census are developed in as short a timeframe as feasible.