The Honourable Camille Robinson-Regis, Minister of Planning and Development is announcing to the public that the Central Statistical Office (CSO) has been approved by the Cabinet of T&T to conduct the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS). This survey is very important as it will provide internationally comparable, statistically rigorous data on the situation of children, adolescents, women and households in Trinidad and Tobago.
The MICS is a household survey implemented by countries under a programme developed by and in collaboration with the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the last such surveys were conducted in 2000, 2006 and most recently 2011. The CSO has begun preparations to have field staff selected and trained in August, to begin field work in September 2019.
The Central Statistical Office will administer the 2019 Trinidad and Tobago MICS to a representative sample of approximately 7200 households using Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing technology for the real-time collection of data. Fieldwork will last for three months from the period of commencement.
The MICS is the largest source of household survey data of its kind covering a wide range of topics on women and children that include: demographic characteristics, literacy and education; clean water access, sanitation and hygiene; water quality; energy use; reproductive health; child mortality; nutrition; child health; child development; child protection; child functioning; victimization; social transfers; subjective well-being; mass media and information and communication technology (ICT); tobacco and alcohol use as well as HIV/AIDS and sexual behavior.
Minister Robinson-Regis states that although the objectives of this survey are varied, one key goal the MICS intends to achieve is the collection of disaggregated data for the identification of inequities and disparities to allow for evidence based policy-making aimed at social inclusion of the most vulnerable in our society. This data will also help monitor Trinidad and Tobago’s progress in achieving the global Sustainable Development Goals through T&T’s National Development Strategy (Vision 2030).
Cabinet has also proposed the establishment of a technical committee comprising representatives from the Ministry of Planning and Development and the CSO; the Ministry of Education; the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services; the Ministry of Health; Environmental Management Authority; Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) and UNICEF.
Some of the data collected from previous surveys include:
Percentage of the population using an improved sources of drinking water (piped water, public tap/standpipe, protected spring, rain water collection)
2006: 96.4% of the population
2011: 98.7% of the population
2019: ??
Under 5 mortality rate
2006: 35 deaths per 1000 live births
2011: 36 deaths per 1000 live births
2019: ??
Percentage of women 15 to 49 years who had a child in the last two years, who received antenatal care by a skilled health personnel
2006: 95.7%
2011: 95.1%
2019: ??
Percentage of children age 36-59 months are currently attending early childhood care and education programmes
2006: 74.7%
2011: 84.5%
2019: ??