Population and housing censuses are a vital part of national statistical systems. They provide essential information on the structure, characteristics and housing conditions of a country’s population, and serve as a backbone to national household survey programmes and other statistical activities necessary to support informed policymaking.

Capturing essential economic characteristics of the population in the census is recommended as a core topic for the 2020 Round of Population and Housing Censuses. To support these efforts, the ILO Department of Statistics collaborates with the UN Statistics Division to issue updated international census recommendations aligned with the latest ICLS standards, and develops practical tools and training to support census planners in adapting these recommendations to the national context.