WINDHOEK – The Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) says it has finalized the preparation of the next round of the Labor Force Survey. The survey provides the country with information on the labour market, such as its size, how many are employed in which sector and what the unemployment rate is, amongst others.
Initially the survey was conducted every four years, but is now conducted annually to keep abreast with the changes in the labour market.
The survey will take place from 29 September to 11 October, 2014. The survey is the only official source of labour force statistics in the country and is the only survey that provides the official unemployment rate in the country.
Of all national statistics, the unemployment rate produced by the survey is one of the most widely used indicators to assess the health of the economy of Namibia and its labour market.
Questions always arise as to how the figures are arrived at.
In the labour force framework the population is divided into two major groups; the active and inactive population. The economically inactive population includes all persons below the age of 15 years of age.
This is due to the fact that those below 15 years are not considered legally employable as it borders on child labour. In addition, the inactive population also covers all persons over 15 years of age who are not available for work because they are full-time learners or students, involved in household duties, ill, disabled or on early retirement.
This section does not form part of the labour force and hence does not affect the employment / unemployment rate. The economically active population on the other hand comprises persons within the working age group of 15 years and above with the exception of those classified as economically inactive.
The measure is affected by how unemployment is defined. Namibia generally uses the broad definition of employment which requires that the person was available for work in the preceding seven days, but does not require that the person actively sought work. This broad measure is considered appropriate in a developing country where there are limited formal avenues through which people can look for work.
The strict definition of unemployment requires that the person was available for work and also took active steps to find work.
The aim of providing these labour market figures is to provide statistics for evidence- based planning and crafting policies relevant to the situation on the ground.
The latest labour survey shows that the official unemployment rate is 29.6 percent while it is 41.7 percent for the youth. For males the unemployment rate is 25.8 percent and 33.1 percent for females.
Furthermore, the statistics show that 51 percent of all households derive their income through salaries and wages, 19 percent indicated that their main source of income is derived from subsistence agriculture, 9.5 percent through remittances and only 7 percent listed business activities as the source of their main income.
Hence, policy makers would look at these statistics and come up with interventions that are to shape the society into the desired direction.
Enumerators for the Labour Force Survey will receive training in Otjiwarongo and Ondangwa after which the official listing of the households will commence throughout the country before the initial enumeration starts. To ensure that the survey will be conducted successfully the NSA has solicited the services of approximately 430 persons in the form of team supervisors, enumerators and coders.
Refusing to partake in the Labour Force Survey is a violation of the Statistics Act 9 of 2011.