The Household Surveys department collects and processes socioeconomic data on family households and uses this data to prepare the publication Households in Suriname.
Household surveys have been conducted on a regular basis by the General Bureau of Statistics since 1986 and are continuous. They serve two purposes:
1. measuring and collecting labour statistics
2. collect basic demographic statistics on households.
The questionnaire includes questions on employment and other socioeconomic characteristics of households. Until mid-2009, the survey was only conducted in Paramaribo and Wanica (ParWan), but the district of Nickerie has since been included as a pilot,whilst from 2015, the survey has also been executed in the second pilot district of Commewijne.
Every quarter there is a new round of interviews, each time focusing on different households. The quarterly figures are processed and after approval, the annual figures are made available.
The household surveys are conducted by means of random sampling from “ressorten” of the districts of Paramaribo, Wanica, Nickerie and Commewijne.
For each of the samples taken, GBS interviewers ( enumerators) go into the field to ask households about their living conditions and employment situation. Since April 2018, tablets have been used for the datacollection during the household surveys (Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing – CAPI).
The confidentiality of the data on individual households and persons is a legal requirement (2002 Bulletin of Acts and Decrees, no. 97 ) and is guaranteed by GBS through its compliance with the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics of the United Nations.
The conceptual model underlying the collection of labour statistics is the internationally accepted Labour Force Model, adopted by the International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS).
The aim (planning) is for the Household Surveys department to publish the publication: Households in Suriname, Paramaribo and Wanica (up till now) in odd years. In addition to its regular activities, the department is closely involved in GBS projects (MICS, CENSUS, Household Budget Survey, Business Census), while working continually on the enriching and transferring of knowledge.
Contact information of the department:
Head of the department: Ms Mirelva S. Alexander BSc
Tel.: +597 473737 / 237
The Cartography Unit is attached to the Household Surveys department
Relevant links:
Household Questionnaire
