The experience of the National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova in preparing the population and housing census of 2024 was presented during Census Week, held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 18 to 22 September, under the aegis of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The Republic of Moldova was represented by a delegation including representatives of the National Bureau of Statistics, UNFPA Moldova and the National Institute of Economic Research.

The annual Census Week combines two events: a workshop on population and housing censuses and a meeting of the group of experts on population and housing censuses. The events serve as a platform for sharing the best practices, for increasing the level of knowledge about matters relating to the planning and actual censuses of population and housing in UNECE countries.

The expert group meeting discussed lessons learned from censuses conducted in the 2020 World Round, censuses still to be completed in the UNECE region, and planned changes in the Conference of European Statisticians Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses for the 2030 World Round.

The workshop took place immediately before the Meeting of the UNECE Group of Experts on Population and Housing Censuses.

At the workshop, the NBS representative presented the progress to date in the preparation of the Population and Housing Census of the Republic of Moldova planned for 2024, including the process of consultation of census variables and questionnaires with data users in the country.

This annual meeting has been attended in 2023 by more than 90 participants from 50 countries, representatives of international and local organizations, experts and high officials. This is an important platform in terms of sharing experiences related to population censuses in different countries, evaluating progress and ensuring compliance with UN recommendations, but also developing valuable guidance for each of the global census rounds for the countries.

It should be mentioned that the last Population Census in the Republic of Moldova was conducted in 2014. The next Census is planned in the spring of 2024. For the first time, the 2024 Census will be carried out using tablets, applying modern methods of data collection.

 The activity was organized within the framework of the project "Support to the National Bureau of Statistics in conducting the 2024 Population and Housing Census", funded by the European Union and co-financed by UNFPA Moldova.