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A population and housing census is among the most complex and massive peacetime exercises a nation can undertake, requiring careful planning, resourcing, and implementation. Success at this scale requires a geographic approach, so in support of this goal, Esri, the global leader in location intelligence, has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Under this new agreement, Esri will partner with UNFPA to help countries use geographic information system (GIS) technology and techniques in their census work with the aim of building inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable communities worldwide in areas where resources are scarce. "National census projects include mapping an entire country, mobilizing and training large numbers of enumerators, and conducting major public awareness campaigns," said Linda Peters, Esri global business development manager.

Esri provides a statistics modernization program, which includes access to and use of Esri ArcGIS technology at highly subsidized rates, to national statistics offices in select developing countries, where it's most needed. Through the MOU with UNFPA, access to the statistics modernization program has been expanded to additional countries and extended to 2034 to cover both the 2020 and 2030 Census rounds. Together, Esri and UNFPA have committed to developing lessons and best practices guides, data models, and other educational materials to help national statistical offices conduct this important work. The initiative supports UNFPA's mission "to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled."

"Census activities must be carefully understood, planned, and monitored, with the resultant data analyzed and disseminated," continued Peters. "GIS is critical for all phases of a census, and the application of the technology across this process is often new to many country statistical offices. The UN‑GGIM [Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management] Global Statistical Geospatial Framework [GSGF] gives us all a guide, but the need for direct support and guidance in implementation is also critical."

Esri has been a longtime collaborator with national statistics offices to help them understand how to integrate statistical and geospatial information. UNFPA already used Esri technology in 2020 to create the UNFPA COVID-19 Population Vulnerability dashboard. This interactive tool provided public health workers, policy makers, and the general public with access to useful information on populations vulnerable to COVID-19 to target preparedness and response and help save lives.

To learn more about the Esri official statistics modernization program and how it helps foster sustainable global communities, visit go.esri.com/officialstatisticsprogram.

About UNFPA

UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. UNFPA's mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPA calls for the realization of reproductive rights for all and supports access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services, including voluntary family planning, quality maternal health care and comprehensive sexuality education.

UNFPA also supports Ministries of Planning, National Statistical Offices and other departments with population data for advancing development at large, including reproductive health and rights.

About Esri

Esri, the global market leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, location intelligence, and mapping helps customers unlock the full potential of data to improve operational and business results. Founded in 1969 in Redlands, California, USA, Esri software is deployed in more than 350,000 organizations globally and in over 200,000 institutions in the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Esri has partners and local distributors in over 100 countries on six continents, including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, nonprofits, and universities. With its pioneering commitment to geospatial information technology, Esri engineers the most innovative solutions for digital transformation, the Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced analytics. Visit us at esri.com.

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