Demographic characteristics

United Nations Economic Commission for EuropeStatistical DivisionUnited Nations Economic Commission for EuropeStatistical Division

Demographic characteristics

Paolo Valente (UNECE)

UNECE Training Workshop on Census Questionnaire Design for SPECA member countries

(Dushanbe, 12-16 March 2007)

April 19, 2023 Paolo Valente - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 2

Topics:

Sex (core topic) Age (core topic) Legal marital status (core topic) De facto marital status (non-core topic) Total no. of children born alive (non-core) Total no. of surviving children


Age Recommended approach: date of birth (day, month,

year)• Provides most accurate information• Allows tabulating results by year of birth and by completed years of

age Alternative method not recommended: age at last

birthday (no. of completed years of age)• Less accurate information• May be used when information on date of birth is not available (not

even year of birth)


Marital status

Q.: Why two topics, for

1) LEGAL marital status, and for

2) DE FACTO marital status?


Marital status

Q.: Why two topics, for

1) LEGAL marital status, and for

2) DE FACTO marital status?

A.: Because they are two different concepts!


Marital status1) LEGAL marital status (core topic)

Refers to the LEGAL conjugal status, with regard to official acts (marriage, divorce, etc.) regardless of actual living arrangements

Recommended classification:1. Never married2. Married [“legally”, “registered”, “with certificate”]3. Widowed and not remarried4. Divorced and not remarried

Possible add categories if there are legal provisions. Ex.:- Legally separated- Registered/legal partnership


Marital status2) DE FACTO marital status (non-core topic)

Refers to ACTUAL living arrangements within the household regardless of legal/official position

Particularly relevant in countries where consensual unions are a frequent living arrangement

Recommended classification:1. Person living in a consensual union2. Person not living in a consensual union

Partners in consensual union:- Have usual residence in the same household- Are not married to each other - Have a marriage-like relationship to each other


Marital status

How to collect information on DE FACTO m.s.?

Possible to derive information from:- question on Relationship to reference person, or- Household relationship matrix Through a direct question

IMPORTANT: No inference should be made between LEGAL

and DE FACTO marital status


Marital statusQ.1: In your last (1999) census,

did you collect information on LEGAL marital status?


Marital statusQ.1: In your last (1999) census,

did you collect information on LEGAL marital status?

Q.2: In your last (1999) census, did you collect information on DE FACTO marital status?

If you did, how did you collect information?a) Derived from question on Relationship to reference personb) Through a direct question on Consensual unionsc) From the question on LEGAL marital status


Marital status

Q.: Can we collect information on LEGAL and DE FACTO marital status with the same question?


Marital status

Q.: Can we collect information on LEGAL and DE FACTO marital status with the same question?

A.: It is NOT a recommended approach, because: It may create confusion between the two concepts,

both during data collection and dissemination This approach is usually based on

inferences/assumptions between the two concepts, that in some cases are not correct

This approach may result in inaccurate or incomplete information


Marital statusExample - Classification used in 2000 round in some CIS countries:

1. Never married2. Registered married3. Not registered married4. Widowed5. Divorced6. Separated




Q.: Does it refer to LEGAL or DE FACTO m.s.?




Q.: Does it refer to LEGAL or DE FACTO m.s.?Q.: Do you see any problems? Have comments?




Q.: Does it refer to LEGAL or DE FACTO m.s.?Q.: Do you see any problems? Have comments?Q.: Does it provide COMPLETE information?


Marital statusExample - Classification used in 2000 roundin some CIS countries:


Q.: What is the LEGAL m.s. of 3. Not reg. married?Q.: Does 6. Separated refer to LEGAL separation?


Marital status – Conclusions:Recommendations:1) Collect information on LEGAL marital status using the

recommended classification:1. Never married2. Married [“legally”, “registered”, “with certificate”]3. Widowed and not remarried4. Divorced and not remarried5. Legally separated and not remarried [if applicable]

2) Ask to persons who are NOT legally married if they live in consensual union [not registered marriage]: Have a marriage-like relationship with other person

having usual residence in the same household


Total no. of children born alive

Used to produce estimates of fertility Number should include ALL live-born children:

• Born of present, previous marriage, or outside marriage (consensual union or single mother)

• Regardless of whether children are living or not, and where they are living

To be collected for all women (or at least 15 years) Possibly collect separately for boys and girls


Total no. of surviving children Used in conjunction with No. of children born alive Allows producing estimates of infant and child mortality Collect separately for boys and girls

For better reporting on both topics, collect separately numbers of:• Children living in the household at the time of census• Children living away at the time of the census• Children who have died before the time of the census

More details in UNSD Principles and Rec., Rev.2

Demographic characteristics

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