By NIYI OJUOLAPE

More by this Author

Somalia’s government has this week launched the official programme for a population census, signalling a shift to actually understand the size of the country’s demographics by next year.

The international community and especially as partners from the United Nations Reproductive Health Agency (UNFPA) think the Somali Population and Housing Census 2024, as it is officially known, will kick start a journey that will eventually help the country address its perennial problems.

For a country fighting to recover from years of conflict, the programme demonstrates the government's commitment to the task of bringing in the Somali people, so that they are aware of this undertaking and also provides an opportunity to gain further international support and engagement.

The census is an important national effort aimed at discovering the number of people residing in Somalia. Its findings will be essential in assessing and analysing development projects, crafting policies, and tailoring programs that best serve the population.

Read: S. Sudan census data raises political heat

The country has not had a reliable and complete census since the fall of the central government in 1991. This failure has impeded the government, its partners and other stakeholders in implementing effective programs that address the Somali people's needs. The last successful census carried out in 1975 only yielded limited results. Previous attempts to conduct census were thwarted by political instability, civil unrest and the lack of a centralised government.

Focused on rebuilding

Nonetheless, the country is currently focused on rebuilding its institutions, including improving its statistical ability to conduct an accurate and dependable census.

The Somali government with support from the UNFPA, plans to conduct the Population and Housing Survey 2024 in November 2024. This will be the first census since the civil war broke out in 1991 and it will provide important information on the population size, composition and distribution. The exercise will cover all of Somalia’s regions and will involve the counting of all people living in the country including refugees and internally displaced persons, and help in identifying the populations most in need of services.

The census will also provide data on the size and distribution of ethnic and linguistic groups, promoting cultural diversity and the protection of minority rights. With the use of modern technology such as satellite imagery and mobile devices, the census will ensure accurate data collection on population size, age, sex, education and employment status among other variables. The benefits that come with obtaining accurate data are numerous, from promoting cultural diversity to protecting minority rights and fostering democratic governance.

Read: Rwandans living nine years longer than other East Africans

The importance of this census cannot be overstated. Its success will have a lasting and transformative impact on the lives of the Somali people, touching on crucial areas such as accurate and reliable statistical data essential for effective and relevant policy programming, timely humanitarian response and mitigation, improved governance and stable democratisation. It will help promote democratic governance and political representation by providing valuable data on eligible voters, which will help determine the allocation of parliamentary seats based on proportional representation. This will ultimately lead to improved governance and stable democratisation.

Quality living

The UNPFA recognise the need to harness the strength of a population by enabling people to live quality lives to the best of their abilities. The census will count everyone in Somalia and help bring the clarity on the core challenges faced by the people where they are and those most affected rather than relying on speculation as well as political rhetoric. Women and girls make up almost half of any population and it is crucial to ensure their voices are heard and needs addressed. The census will help provide important data to identify and address their issues and needs and develop the necessary programmes and strategies to support the most vulnerable members of society. Somalia is also one of the many sub-Saharan African countries struggling with multiple climate crises and a difficult economic situation. As climate change continues to disproportionately affect the country, knowledge of the population and demographics is critical to prevent and mitigate crises as well as for delivering effective and successful humanitarian responses.

Read: TZ's population expanded 16m in a decade

Still many challenges

There are still many challenges that the census is still facing despite its need and significance. This includes inadequate resources and lack of trust from some communities towards the government and the census exercise as well as security. While significant progress has been made in overcoming these challenges through extensive community mobilisation and sensitisation efforts, the success of the census still depends heavily on securing adequate funding and ongoing support from donors. With Somalia being an economically challenged country, the provision of financial resources is critical to ensure the efficient implementation of this crucial exercise.  Somalia is grateful to the donors whose support has been instrumental in the success of the process this far and urged them for their continued support so that efficient, transparent and robust implementation of the census can be ensured.

The Somali census is a vital undertaking that requires prioritisation as well as transparency and must be conducted in a way that is inclusive and most credible. The UNFPA and the wider UN family are delighted to be partnering with the Somali National Bureau of Statistics as well as the government of Somalia in this significant endeavour. Though there may be hurdles to overcome, UNFPA remain hopeful that with careful planning and good judgment, Somalia will achieve success and look forward to seeing its transformative impact on the lives of its people.

Niyi Ojuolape is the Country Representative of UNFPA in Somalia