The 2022 National Population, Household and Housing Census began this Wednesday in digital mode and will end in person on May 18, while the statistical results that it produces will serve to “improve public and private policies and the daily life of all Argentines”as stated by the director of the Statistics and Census Institute (Indec), Marco Lavagna.
On the first day 161,000 visits to the page were registered web census.gob.ar, about 27,000 per minuteand that’s it 102,000 homes were registered. The entries were direct through entering the page, Indec sources highlighted
“Since last February we have been promoting this activity and since before the form was opened there was a lot of expectation to enter the page,” detailed the spokespersons, who recalled that the digital census option will be open until May 18 at 8 in the morning.
“Censuses allow us to have this basic information to improve the quality of decisions, improve public policies and those of the private sector,” said Lavagna, during a press conference held at the Casa Rosada, in which he provided details of this statistical operation. that is done every decade but that had to be postponed two years due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The official maintained that “today is a very important day because we are starting the first stage of the census. It is the first time that Argentina will have the possibility of carrying out a bimodal census,” while he stressed the interest of the population in participating because “Within half an hour (after access to the digital form was enabled) we had a large number of people, more than 30,000 people”.
During this edition of the national census it is expected to cover more than 15 million homes and account for more than 46 million people throughout the countrywith a work team that includes around 600,000 people, many of them census takers who signed up as volunteers for the May 18 operation.
From today, the digital questionnaire can be accessed through a mobile phone, computer or other type of electronic device and proof of completion must be shown to the census taker who attends the address on May 18, when the statistical registration is carried out simultaneously in person throughout the country.
People who complete the form virtually on the official website www.censo.gob.ar will receive a receipt in their email box with a six-digit alphanumeric code that must be presented on May 18, a national holiday.
The online questionnaire must be answered by a person on behalf of all the inhabitants of the dwelling and is made up of 61 questions: 24 related to the characteristics of dwellings and households and 37 on the structure of the population.
With axis in the recognition of the population diversity Argentina, a question on the self-perception of gender identity was incorporated and the scope of the consultation on ethnic self-recognition (indigenous peoples and Afro-descendants) was extended to the entire population.
The government enabled the free line 0800 345 2022 to answer questions about the census, which will be available Monday to Friday from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Regarding securitythe director of the Indec assured that “all possible measures were adopted to give the population peace of mind” and clarified that the only mechanism by which information will be requested from the inhabitants in digital form will be through the official website
He also clarified that on May 18, during the territorial survey,Census takers will be identified with a bib, they will have an identification card, with a telephone number and a QR codeso that their condition can be verified during the visits they make to the dwellings.
When speaking about the importance of the census, Lavagna remarked that defines “structural features of who we are, how we are, our cultural and ethnic differences” and, in this sense, maintained that the results will allow “improving public and private policies and for the daily life of all Argentines.”
“The census -he pointed out- is the precise picture of how we are. We are going to need a great effort from everyone, obviously not only from INDEC but from all provincial and municipal governments, civil organizations, universities, we all have to collaborate in making it a very successful census.”
“It doesn’t matter what government is, this information is useful to all of us; allows us to see what is the line and the way to go”, he added.
On the other hand, the official emphasized that “It is the first time that we are going to carry out a census of rights” and explained that “Argentina was used to asking the question about where you spent the night before, before the census taker came by, and now we change the question and ask about the habitual residence.”
“This seems like a minor detail but it is a very important jump in quality”, insisted the head of the Indec.
“The fact that we ask where one usually resides -he specified- has to do with, for example, where public services are demanded and allows better identification of areas that have more demand than supply in services or that require the installation of new educational or health establishments”.
Indec authorities consider that the bimodal modality will allow this census to be “faster and more accessible.”
In fact, it is expected that the same night of Census Day, May 18, or in the following hours, it will be known how many are the inhabitants of the country; After three months, a preliminary estimate of the basic rates (by sex, household and locality) will be ready.
While, the first definitive data will be complete eight months after the end of the census and within 18 months, all the information.
