Training Workshop on Population and Development Planning held at Almaty

As a component of the UNFPA- funded project on Population, Development and Poverty, ESCAP, in cooperation with UNFPA Kazakhstan, organized the Training Workshop on Population and Development Planning in Central Asia. The Workshop was held at Almaty, Kazakhstan from 8 to 13 November. Seventeen participants from six Central Asian countries participated: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, representing various ministries as well as UNFPA country offices in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
A training manual containing explanations of demographic concepts, definitions and measurements and socio-economic indicators was prepared for the Workshop. Based on the software SPECTRUM, a user-friendly step-wise description of demographic and sectoral projections was also developed for the purpose, with its use demonstrated in areas such as health, education, economy and urbanization based on actual data from the respective countries. The Training Workshop covered topics such as basic demographic concepts and measures (fertility, mortality and migration), sex-age distribution, marital and household composition, socio-economic characteristics, sources of population data, use of population variables in development planning, and population policy in Central Asia.
Overall, the Workshop achieved its aim of enhancing the knowledge of participants on demographic and socio-economic indicators and their links with development planning. Several participants recommended that such training be organized again by ESCAP and UNFPA at the country level so that a larger number of government officials from various ministries and departments could participate.