Dr. Bernard Coquelin, Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) makes opening remarks at the "Everyone Counts" forum held at the Shanghai Expo Park on Sunday, June 11, 2010. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com/ Xu Leiying]
by Xu Leiying
A forum themed "Everyone Counts" was held at the Expo Park, marking the 21st World Population Day on Sunday.
The theme for this year's World Population Day is "Everyone Counts".
At the forum, Dr. Bernard Coquelin, the Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), explained the meaning of the theme by saying that good data with everyone counted is critical for evidence-based policies and for improving people's lives.
In recent years, due to urban development, China has seen the rapid growth of migrants, which now exceeds 200 million. However, those urban migrants, also known as "city newcomers," rarely enjoy equal treatment in terms of education, health care and social security.
To solve those problems, the country needs true, accurate and complete data before it makes its policies.
China will launch the sixth national population census starting on November 1, 2010. Feng Nailin, Director General of the Department of Population and Employment Statistics at the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), introduced the plans for the census.
Feng says the census will encounter challenges such as the growing number and mobility of migrants, multiple residences, and the underreporting of births. In fear of privacy disclosure, some people may not be willing to cooperate with census employees, he added.
To address those challenges, several measures have been taken. For instance, a new regulation, which took effect on June 1st, states that the information of those surveyed should be kept confidential and anyone who leaks the information will be punished according to law.
For the first time ever foreign residents will be surveyed in the upcoming population census. China has conducted a national population census every ten years since 1990. The previous five censuses only covered Chinese nationals on the mainland.
Feng Nailin, Director General of the Department of Population and Employment Statistics with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) gives a speech at the population forum, held at the Shanghai Expo Park on Sunday, June 11, 2010. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com/ Xu Leiying]
