Zambia Central Statistical Office develop its microdata dissemination policy (April 13-14, 2010)

The ADP has been implemented in Zambia with the collaboration of the German Technical Collaboration (GTZ). The ADP has been providing technical backstopping to the GTZ Macro project which is supporting the Central Statistical Office.

The CSO had drafted a data dissemination policy. This policy was reviewed in a workshop setting that focused on bringing together: data users; data producers and government ministries. Three working groups were set up and they focused on the following themes: Is the policy technically viable; what are the institutional constraints in implementing the policy and what is the legal authority for disseminating microdata. The group discussions were led by a series of presentations designed to highlight issues related to the three topics.

As a result of the workshop, a new draft policy is now being considered and a procedures manual to help define the processes required to implement the policy.

It is hoped that this kind of workshop will pave the way for others of its kind and promote the public dissemination of survey microdata by accounting for the legal mandate; the technical and institutional constraints in managing the process.