Tanzania: Microdata Outreach and Advocacy Workshop (February 2015)

The Tanzania National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) with the support of ADP/PARIS21 organized a two-day Microdata Outreach and Advocacy Workshop (MOW) on February 19-20, 2015 at Kebby’s Hotel in Dar es Salaam. The main objectives of the workshop were to (1) promote users’ awareness of microdata availability in the Tanzania National Data Archive (TNADA) (2) engage other data producers and key data users about microdata availability, access and use, and (3) inform users of issues surrounding microdata access and data dissemination policies.  The workshop was attended by about 50 participants for 2 days including the presenters and participants from data producers, data users, researchers and policy evaluators from universities, research centres, NGOs, professional associations and line-ministries.As per the main objectives of the workshop, the NBS demonstrated the National Data Archive (TNADA) hosted on the NBS website cataloguing over thirty surveys and censuses. It presented NBS data dissemination policy for users, and its efforts in improving the availability, access and use of data. Furthermore, the NBS explained the various processes in NBS in survey design, implementation, quality assurance and data dissemination to users with an example of National Panel Household Survey.In addition to the NBS presentations, the workshop was designed to include a wide representation of major official and unofficial data producers and key data users in the country. The following other data producers and users attended and presented:1.    The Registration Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency (RITA) as an official data producers presented its practices and challenges in compiling and disseminating civil registration data in Tanzania;2.    Users of microdata were represented by a leading research institution in Tanzania namely the Research on Poverty Alleviation (REPOA).3.    Academic users were presented by Statistics Department of University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) and The Eastern Africa Statistical Training Centre (EASTC).4.    Use of new tools and techniques in data capturing, storage and dissemination processes were demonstrated by the Ifakara Health Institute (IHI), one of Africa's most eminent health research organisations situated in Dar es Salaam.   The workshop was successful in promoting user awareness on microdata availability in TNADA and providing a forum for fruitful discussion among the stakeholders. This will contribute to improvement of the data dissemination systems in Tanzania. The workshop was opened by Hajjat Amina Mrisho Said, Commissioner of National Population and Housing Census on behalf of Director General of NBS. Ms. Anna Mwasha, Director of Poverty Eradication and Economic Empowerment (DPEEE) in Ministry of Finance (MOF) delivered a Keynote address and pointed out that strengthening national statistical system and opening up more data from the NSS is crucial for monitoring development indicators like MDGs and SGDs. A presentation on ADP/IHSN tools and guidelines and importance of microdata outreach and advocacy program was given by ADP Program Officer, Mr. Mahesh Subedi.  The opening session of the workshop was captured by journalists from a number of Newspapers and Televisions and received a widespread coverage in local media:1.    The Guardian, Tanzania: http://www.ippmedia.com/frontend/index.php?l=776012.    Dailynews: http://www.dailynews.co.tz/index.php/local-news/41762-use-official-data-from-nbs-institutions-advised3.    Blogs: http://issamichuzi.blogspot.fr/2015/02/serikali-yasisitiza-matumizi-ya-takwimu.html