UNFPA has been supporting the Government of Pakistan in officially conducting the Sixth Housing and Population Census in 2017 - the last census was held almost 20 years ago. The latest data collected from the Census is a critical step in the country’s development, which will uncover crucial demographic trends such as fertility, mortality and gender inequalities. Most importantly, it will inform how policymakers and leaders envision the future of Pakistan.

The Census was an enormous undertaking with preparations spanning over ten years. It required coordinating a wide range of partners and stakeholders, building community awareness through major campaigns, canvassing households and compiling millions of questionnaires.

UNFPA’s role

UNFPA provided technical assistance, including training, advocacy and awareness raising and providing and maintaining census-related equipment (computers, servers, generators, plotters, decoding machine, GIS scanners and vehicles).

In addition to operationalizing the Census, UNFPA helped the Government in holding an international conference in Islamabad, Pakistan in 2016, where national and international Census experts gathered to share their expertise and lessons learned from other countries. Government staff were given clear guidance in how to conduct transparent and technically acceptable census within the framework of international standards.

UNFPA also conducted an independent Census observation and monitoring mission to help ensure that the Census recognized multi-ethnic, religious and social diversity and adhered to international standards and best practices.

According to preliminary results, Pakistan’s total population has reached 207.77 million with an average annual growth rate of 2.4 per cent between 1998 and 2017. The urban population has increased from 45.5 million in 1998 to 75.6 million in 2017, which is 36.38 per cent of the total population. The final census results are expected to be announced in April 2018.