MAZAR-I SHARIF - The Central Statistics Organization (CSO) of Afghanistan and the provincial government of Balkh on Monday announced to conduct the Socio Demographic and Economic Survey (SDES).

The SDES objective is to gather information on socio economic and demographic status of the population from all 34 provinces of Afghanistan. SDES will provide village-level data for local development policy and planning.

Balkh is the ninth province undertaking the SDES with the technical support of the United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA. The survey was already conducted in Bamiyan, Ghor, Daikundi, Parwan, Kapisa, Kabul, Samangan and Takhar. The survey involves different stages: mapping of the province, data collection, and data entry and analysis. More than 2,600 surveyors and 280 cartographers will be in charge of mapping the province and collecting the data which will be analyzed and released in a provincial report next year.

“When we get good data and information on the population, the social indicators and the economy  of Balkh, we can use that to make better plans for services for the population. When we plan better, we improve the delivery of health, education, water, livelihood and employment services to our people. When services are improved, we improve the quality of life of the people. When people have improved quality of life, they contribute better to improving the overall development of Balkh province and Afghanistan in general”, says Dr Wilfred Ochan, UNFPA Deputy Representative for Afghanistan. The findings of the survey will provide up-to-date and accurate information on the number of households in the province, age and sex, distribution of household members, and information about education, health, employment and other socio-economic facts.