Algerian authorities promise secrecy in general census

A vast census operation over the country is starting today and will last two weeks through which the Algerian families have to give exhaustive information to the agents assigned by the national commission; otherwise they will be severely punished.

A vast census operation over the country is starting today and will last two weeks through which the Algerian families have to give exhaustive information to the agents assigned by the national commission; otherwise they will be severely punished.

The fourth provision of the law regulating this operation stipulates that “Each coming of age individual has to answer by himself in a correct way to the census questions”. The text law punishes reticent citizens and says “Any attempt to fend off answers or give false information would be punished by law”.

On the other hand, the authorities guarantee a total secrecy as to the collected information and “will not be used for other than census purposes”. In this respect, the administrative agents who have been assigned by the national commission for general census are forced to comply with the corporate secret”.

The fifth general census will, for the first time ever, include questions dedicated to specific group community, especially initiated by the local authorities with aim to define specific needs of the citizens in terms of employment.

The census will focus on the community group whose age ranges from 15 to 29 in a move to enable local authorities to meet their needs and expectations. Young people will be asked to sort out the projects they feel they can improve their economic and social lives so as to forward them to their respective localities.