For the census exercise to succeed, the entire population has to co-operate and participate willingly. Special attention should be given to sensitization and education of the general public on the importance of the census not only to national development programme but also to them individually. When an informed public both understands and appreciates the importance of census and the use of data it generates, people will easily cooperate with enumerators during the entire exercise. The DOP, together with the Dep artment of Information and Public Relation, Ministry of Information, will ensure the setting up and operations of a Communication, Publicity and Advocacy Committee (or sub-committee in the alternative structure) as indicated in the supervisory structure and a special section at the DOP as well as sub-national levels.

In general, people like to participate in a census, to be interviewed, and to provide the requested information. However, such attitudes and behaviors only occur if three pre-conditions are present:

1. there is an assurance of confidentiality and privacy regarding the information provided by the interviewees;
2. there is a feeling that the census belongs to them as citizens of the country and members of a community and not just to the Government; and
3. that it is their duty to participate, not because of an externally imposed obligation, but because of their own principles (patriotism, community duty, exercising of their rights, and the like).

To achieve this, the Ministry of Immigration and Population and Department of Population worked in developing and implementing a communication, publicity, and advocacy strategy aimed to create these three pre-conditions and to make the public aware of the importance of the census to their daily lives and to the future of the country.

The sub-national offices of the Immigration and National Registration Department were participated in charge of these campaigns at the local level.

In order to inform the arrangement of the 2014 Population and Housing Census, our department made distribution of pamphlets, preparation of posters, writing articles in newspapers and journals, broadcasting talk shows in Radio, Television and Social Media.

Publicity/Advocacy materials

• Pamphlets – 17 languages: In order to know the census enumeration period, to aware of census and to be interested for census, we distributed pamphlets before one month of taking census

• Posters and Bill boards – 1 million in different languages and sizes: In order to address the census characters and census enumeration period, we announced on bill boards and wall posters prior to four months of taking census

• Handbook – 11 languages: In order to study about the Census for the public, especially students, we provided the handbooks with different languages in 2013.

• Frequently asked Questions and Answers – 11 languages: In any census, people often ask questions or need more information to be clear of the process. Based on consultations during the Pilot Census and meetings with various groups, we published these questions alongside the answers to them.

• Radio, TV and Social media: We broadcasted census talk shows, interviews and other appropriate census education programmes in Radio, Television and Social media.

• Films: We announced poster by projecting in cinemas around the country before three months of taking census.

• Bus Tours with celebrities: We made the publicity campaign (bus tours) with celebrities across the country.

• T-shirts, caps/hats, bangles and hand fans: We distributed T-shirts, caps/hats, bangles and hand fans with 2014 Census Logo.

• Townhall meetings with ethnic leaders: We took the townhall meetings with ethnic leaders.
• Advertisment in Newspaper: In order to raise the awareness, we advertied the census project with the articles and perspectives in newspapers before conducting census.

Posters

Posters and Bill boards

Publicity Campaign (Bus Tours) with Celebrities