The Union of Civil Society Organizations in the city of al-Atareb has completed a census process – the first at the country-level in these circumstances – after work was distributed to seven integrated teams following a series of training programs.
The census is considered to be critical as the regime continues its war on the Syrian people, with all its consequences of killing, destruction and displacement. The census draws a picture of the reality of living conditions of both the indigenous population and displaced people living inside the city.
Ahmed Haj Omar, head of the city’s Youth Forum, talked with All4syria about the goal and the importance of the census process. Haj Omar said he considers the census a necessity in order to know the economic and social status of the population, as well as the the number of children who need education, health care, milk and food. "The census is also important to adjust the work mechanism of relief offices in the distribution of food to beneficiaries, based on the results of the census", Haj Omar said.
Haj Omar stressed the need for the census due to the change in peoples’ living conditions, and the state of their homes – which have been destroyed or damaged as a result of regime air raids. The census will focus on the number of displaced people in the city, as well as the number of martyrs, wounded, disabled and orphans; providing an accurate picture of their living, social and economic conditions, in addition to their age groups.
Haj Omar noted that the provision of such data would facilitate the development of the necessary future plans, and provide a database for comparison with other databases. Haj Omar said the team is now archiving the data electronically, where it will provide organizations, charities, local institutions and security agencies concerned with a copy of their final results.
Translated and edited by The Syrian Observer
