ILO supports Antigua and Barbuda Statistics Division to kickstart the new labour force survey
5 November 2022
© Labour Dept. Antigua & Barbuda
Since 2019 the ILO has engaged to elaborate, in coordination and collaboration with the OECS Secretariat (Statistics Division), a new common OECS labour force survey questionnaire. It is intended to replace the then outdated version (in place since 2008) and be used across the board by the Organization’s Member States. The new tool aims to incorporate questions consistently with the latest statistical standards as defined and agreed by the 19th and 20th International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLSs) in 2013 and 2019 respectively.
The new questionnaire, developed over the past two years, first relying on standard templates derived from ILO’s worldwide field experience, was then adapted to local needs and tested by statisticians belonging to the OECS Member States. Once that step was finalized, Antigua and Barbuda Statistical Institute agreed to trailblaze the implementation of its new labour force survey during the fourth quarter of 2022 utilizing the new questionnaire, becoming the first country in the region to use the tool.
At the beginning of November 2022, ILO led the training of local enumerators in Antigua and Barbuda in the use of the new questionnaire by providing content information on statistical standards, guidance on labour statistics, and supervision of practice and feedback. Since then, the roll out of the survey in the field progressed with enumeration starting during the second week of November and expected to be finalized before the December holiday break.
Photo credit: Labour Department Antigua and Barbuda
The new questionnaire, developed over the past two years, first relying on standard templates derived from ILO’s worldwide field experience, was then adapted to local needs and tested by statisticians belonging to the OECS Member States. Once that step was finalized, Antigua and Barbuda Statistical Institute agreed to trailblaze the implementation of its new labour force survey during the fourth quarter of 2022 utilizing the new questionnaire, becoming the first country in the region to use the tool.
At the beginning of November 2022, ILO led the training of local enumerators in Antigua and Barbuda in the use of the new questionnaire by providing content information on statistical standards, guidance on labour statistics, and supervision of practice and feedback. Since then, the roll out of the survey in the field progressed with enumeration starting during the second week of November and expected to be finalized before the December holiday break.
Photo credit: Labour Department Antigua and Barbuda