RECENT PUBLICATIONS OF DEPARTMENT OF CENSUS AND STATISTICS

MDG Indicator of Sri Lanka

Achieving sustainable growth is important in developing countries, and the role of the United Nations is impressive by introducing Millennium Development Goals. The government of Sri Lanka signed Millennium Development in year 2000 with other member countries of the UN. Achieving of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015 is a priority in the national agenda, and many laudable programmers have been introduced to combat poverty and related issues such as disease, malnutrition and lack of basic amenities; with the aim of reaching the set targets.

The MDGs are comprised of eight time bound goals, 18 reachable targets and 48 measurable indicators, with 1990 as a baseline and 2015 as the deadline to achieve the goals. Incidence and magnitude of poverty, illiteracy, child malnutrition, gender inequality, infant, child and maternal mortality, environment pollution, access to basic amenities, access to health facilities and access to IT and communication facilities are some of the dimensions captured by the MDGs. The overall objective is to improve the living conditions of the people, raise economic and social empowerment at community level and ultimately bring about sustainable social and economic development of the country. To monitor the progress of achieving the MDGs, it is required to have data on the MDG indicators.

In the context of Sri Lanka, out of the 51 (with 3 sub indicators) indicators listed under the MGDs nine indicators under goal 8 were left out as they are not relevant to Sri Lanka. Another four indicators were identified as not feasible, as it was not possible to obtain information for them through surveys/census or from administrative data sources. To bridge this data gap on the MDG indicators, A special survey (MDG indicator survey) was conducted to collect data on 38 indicators. The report of this survey has been released and it contains data for values of MDG indicators for 1990/91 and 2006/2007. 

The Sri Lankan Women

Women in Sri Lanka playa significant role in all development spheres, and their contribution to the national economy is enormous.

Producing gender dis-aggregated data is the most reliable way to recognize and account for women's contribution. This is also an important tool to assess the status of women and men in the country and to measure the level of progress by comparing with data of other countries.

The Ministry of Child Development and Women's Empowerment was very keen in obtaining current gender dis-aggregated data and updated information on women's status in Sri Lanka as the situation has changed rapidly during the past decade.

The Department of Census and Statistics (DCS), carried out a special enumeration in I Eastern province and in Jaffna district in Northern province. The objective of this enumeration is to provide the necessary basic information needed to formulate development programmes and relief activities for the people.

This preliminary publication for Jaffna district has been compiled from the reports obtained from the District based on summaries prepared by enumerators and supervisors. A final detailed publication will be disseminated after the computer processing of questionnaires.

This preliminary release gives some basic information for Jaffna district, such as population by divisional secretary's division, urban/rural population, sex, age (under 18 years and 18 years and over) and ethnicity. Data on displaced persons due to conflict or tsunami are also included. Some important information which is useful for regional level planning purposes are given by Grama Niladhari Divisions. This enumeration is based on the usual residents of households in the district. These figures should be regarded as provisional.

Household Computer Literacy Survey of Sri Lanka : 2006/07

There has been perhaps no single technological innovation during the second half of the 21st  century that has touched so many lives and their social organization so much, than that of the personal Computer. Recent advances in microcomputer technology have greatly decreased the cost and increased the power of computers. Now, more than ever, policymakers and business leaders recognize the need to create an enabling environment to support the adoption of technologies and spread their benefits across all sectors of society. e-readiness describes the extent to which ICT can be used correctly. The importance of e-readiness, has achieved prominence on the public policy agenda, with the realization that the tools provided by Information and Communication Technology (ICT) enable a better quality of life for citizens. 

Computer literacy is a measure of e-readiness in a country. A survey was conducted by this department in 2004 for the first time to gage the computer literacy of the household population in the age group of 5 – 69 years of Sri Lanka. This survey estimated several ICT indicators that reflect ICT status of household population of Sri Lanka. The second round of this survey was conducted in 2006/2007 and findings of the second round are presented in this report.

According this survey Computer literacy of the population in the age group of 5-69 years of Sri Lanka, was up from 9.7% in 2004 to 16.0% in 2006. In this survey , a person has been identified as a computer literate if he/she can perform a task using a computer. 

The detailed information in this report provides a basis against which changes in the trends in using ICT at Sri Lankan households can be measured. This report provides data on availability of ICT related infrastructure facilities at households as well as on household populations’ access and use of ICT. These data can help policy makers focus policies and programs to promote inclusion in using computers and the Internet at household level thereby enhancing the use of emerging technology for improving the lives of people.

Copies of this report  can be obtained from the sale counter of this Department , located at 5th floor, Unity Plaza, Bambalapitiya

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