Labour Force Survey 2012
Zambia, 2012
Identification
ZMB_2012_LFS_v01_M
Labour Force Survey 2012
| Name | Country code |
|---|---|
| Zambia | ZMB |
Labor Force Survey [hh/lfs]
The Labour Force Survey is designed to be carried out every two (2) years. However, the surveys sometimes don't take place due to availability of resources.
This survey intends to: -
· Measure the labour force or economically active population size in relation to the general population in the country.
· Identify and analyse the factors leading to the emergence and growth of Labour Force in the country.
· Monitor the labour force participation.
· Identify and measure the informal sector from within the labour force.
· Monitor other Key Indicators of the Labour Market such as employment rates,unemployment rates, hours of work, average income and/or wages etc.
Furthermore, the survey seeks to examine the relationships of socio-economic factors such as education, health, social security, employment within the labour force, and more importantly to measure the causes and effects of children’s involvements in economic activities with special focus on the conditions and environment under which affected children operate.
The main objective of the 2012 LFS was to collect data on the social and economic activities of the population, including detailed information on employment, unemployment, underemployment, wages, informal sector, general characteristics of the labour force and economically inactive population. The survey was designed to specifically measure and monitor Key Indicators of the Labour Market (KILM) such as employment levels, unemployment, income and child labour in Zambia. The measurement of the KILM was with a view to informing users and policy-makers for decision-making. The methodology used in carrying out the survey and the design of questionnaire conform to internationally acceptable standards.
Sample survey data [ssd]
The unit of analysis was Households and Individuals (men and women of 5 years and older).
Version
Version 1.1: Final data, anonymized dataset for public distribution
2013-09-01
Scope
The scope of the 2012 Labour Force Survey includes:
- Household: Household characteristics of the population, marital status, relationship to household head, and age of household head
- Economically Active and Inactive Population: Labour Force participation rate, economically active, and economically inactive
- Under Employed Population: Time related under employment; underemployment by sex, age group, occupation, industry; hours of work by occupation, employment, sex, occupation
- Formal and Informal Sector Employment: Employment by occupation, sex, industry, agricultural, and etc.
- Unemployment: Unemployment population by sex, level of education, literacy, age group; youth unemployment
- Income for Paid Employees: Average monthly earnings; income grop earnings
- Skills Training: Skills training status for working age group; skills training status of employed population; duration of skills training
| Topic | Vocabulary |
|---|---|
| Labor Markets | World Bank |
| Social Protection (includes Pensions, Safety Nets, Social Funds) | World Bank |
| Social Development | World Bank |
| Participation / Empowerment | World Bank |
| Vocational Education | World Bank |
| Gender | World Bank |
Coverage
The 2012 Labour Force Survey (LFS) was a nation-wide survey covering household population in all the ten provinces and, in both rural and urban areas.
The survey covered a representative sample of 11, 520 households, which were selected at two stages. In the first stage, 576 Standard Enumeration Areas (SEAs) were selected from a sampling frame developed from the 2010 Census of Population and Housing. In the second stage, households in each of the selected SEA were first listed/updated and then 20 households for enumeration were selected. The total sample of 11,520 households was first allocated between rural, urban and the provincial domains in proportion to the population of each domain according to the 2010 Census results.
The survey covered all de jure household members (usual residents) in non-institutionalised housing units, all women and men aged 5 years and older.
The survey excluded institutional populations such as those in hospitals, barracks, prisons or refugee camps. This is because the survey was intended only for usual members of the households, i.e. members who lived together as a household for at least six months or who intended to live together as a household for more than six months - who constituted a household.
Producers and sponsors
| Name | Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Central Statistical Office | Ministry of Finance, Government Republic of Zambia |
| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Ministry of Labour and Social Security | Government Republic of Zambia | Participation in data collection and analysis |
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Government Republic of Zambia | Funding and technical assistance |
| International Labour Organisation | Funding and technical assistance |
Sampling
The sample was designed to allow separate estimates at national level for rural and urban areas. Further, it also allowed for provincial estimates. A cluster, which is equivalent to a Standard Enumeration Area (SEA), was the primary sampling unit in the first stage. In the second stage, a household was a sampling unit for enumeration purposes.
Zambia is administratively divided into ten provinces. Each province is in turn subdivided into districts. For statistical purposes each district is subdivided into Census Supervisory Areas (CSAs) and these are in turn demarcated into Standard Enumeration Areas (SEAs). The Census mapping exercise of 2006-2010 in preparation for the 2010 Census of Population and Housing, demarcated the CSAs within wards, wards within constituencies and constituencies within districts. As at the time of the survey, Zambia had 74 districts, 150 constituencies, 1,430 wards and about 25,000 SEAs. Information borne on the list of SEAs from the sampling frame also includes number of households and the population size as at the last update of the SEA. The number of households determined the selection of primary sampling units (PSU). The SEAs are stratified as urban and rural.
The total sample of 11,520 households was first allocated between rural, urban and the provincial domains in proportion to the population of each domain according to the 2010 Census results. The proportional allocation does not however allow for reliable estimates for lower domains like district, ward or constituency. Adjustments to the proportional allocation of the sample were made to allow for reasonable comparison to be achieved between strata or domains. Therefore, disproportionate allocation was adopted, for the purpose of maximizing the precision of survey estimates. The disproportionate allocation is based on the optimal square root allocation method designed by Leslie Kish. The sample was then selected using a stratified two-stage cluster design.
There was no deviation from sample design.
At the end of the field work and editing in the provinces, a total of at least 11,000 of completed questionnaires, representing a 99.8 percent response rate were sent to Head Office for data processing.
Due to the non-proportional allocation of the sample to the different strata, sampling weights were required to ensure actual representative ness of the sample at national level. The sampling probabilities at First-stage selection of SEAs and probabilities of selecting the households were used to calculate the weights. The weights of the sample are equal to the inverse of the probability of selection.
Survey instrument
Two types of questionnaires (Form A and Forma B) were used to collect data from the household members. Form A was used in the first stage for listing purposes while Form B was used in the second stage for collecting detailed data from the selected households. It was a requirement for each household member to provide responses during the face-to-face interview to the questions that were asked.
The main questionnaire has ten sections namely:
a. Demographic Characteristics
b. Education, Literacy and Skills Training
c. Economic Activity
d. Employment
e. Hours of Work and Underemployment
f. Income
g. Unemployment/Job Search
h. Previous Work Experience
i. Household Chores
j. Working Conditions (i.e. Forced labour)
Data collection
| Start | End |
|---|---|
| 2012-11-01 | 2012-12-02 |
| Name | Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Central Statistical Office | Ministry of Finance, Government Republic of Zambia |
The primary data collectors were closely supervised by the Supervisors. Each supervisor had 3 enumerators to work with in order to collect the data and edit the questionnaires, and code questionnaires for a minimum of six enumeration areas. Each team used a 4 wheel drive vehicle to travel from cluster to cluster (and where necessary within cluster). Inaccessible enumeration areas were replaced while the teams were in the field.
The general functions of the Supervisor included:
I. Organizing the Enumerators to successfully complete their assignments.
II. Ensuring that the work completed by the enumerators meets the required standards.
III. Communicating with the Master Trainer and Provincial Head on a regular basis reporting on the progress of the listing exercise, relaying problems encountered in the field.
IV. Receiving directives on listing operations and resolutions to problems
V. Allocating areas (SEAs) to Enumerators, showing Enumerators their SEA boundaries on the ground, issuing of listing books and other materials to the enumerators.
VI. To draw the sample of all households to which the questionnaire is to be administered. These should include replacements when need arises. And record all the information regarding the sampling in the listing book. Follow the instructions as they are laid down. Never allow an enumerator to do the sampling
VII. Providing routine supervision with regard to administrative and personnel matters.
VIII. To supervise the Enumerators under him/her on a daily basis and rotating between Enumerators. Supervisors will lead and superviseon average 5 Enumerators each.
IX. Editing completed listing books and questionnaire for, legibility, completeness, consistency etc.
A pre-test for the LFS was conducted in March 2012. The objective of the Pre-test was to test the survey instruments. It was also aimed at orienting trainers to the survey instruments. The participants in the pre-test were drawn from the MLSS and CSO. The pilot for the LFS was conducted in June/July 2012 whose prime objective was to finalise the review of the survey instruments and training of trainers. During the organisation of the pilot survey, training was characterised by role plays in which participants demonstrated how an interview could effectively be conducted both in local and English languages. After the fieldwork for the pilot survey, the participants reviewed and finalized all the survey instruments.
Training of supervisors, which lasted for 14 days, was conducted in August/September 2012 in Lusaka while that of enumerators was conducted in October the same year in different provinces. The CSO in consultation with the MLSS recruited 288 enumerators and 96 supervisors. The Master Trainers (MTs), who were part of the technical team led the training of supervisors while training of enumerators was led by supervisors. Both training of supervisors and enumerators was guided by the enumerators' manual which was developed during the pre-test and pilot survey undertakings.
The method of training was such that each trainer was assigned a topic to lecture on to the trainees based on the manual's prescriptions. Other sessions were for classroom role plays in which participants had to demonstrate how an interview was expected to be done.
Field work was conducted in the November-December period in 2012 in all the provinces. The primary data collectors were closely supervised by the Supervisors. Each supervisor had 3 enumerators to work with in order to collect the data and edit the questionnaires, and code questionnaires for a minimum of six enumeration areas. Inaccessible enumeration areas were replaced while the teams were in the field. In order to achieve smooth data collection, Regional Statisticians (RS) based in the provinces mobilised transport facilities such as bicycles, motorbikes, vehicles and boats from other government departments and local authorities. They also carried out sensitisation activities in order to communicate to the communities about the survey. One of the most effective approaches was the communication to the district commissioners, local chiefs and headmen. The master trainers, together with RSs, were responsible for random spot-checks, supplying additional materials such as questionnaires, fuels and lubricants, and offer any other technical advice required to ensure completeness in terms of coverage and content of the data. In addition, some members of the secretariat from Head Office also complemented the efforts of the master trainers and RSs by visiting data collection sites to check on the quality of work.
Data processing
Data editing took place at a number of stages throughout the processing. These included:
- Field editing
- Office editing and coding
- During data entry
- Structure checking and completeness
- Secondary editing
- Strucural checking of SAS data files
Data appraisal
A series of data quality tables and graphs are available to review the quality of the data and in addition to this, external resources such as the 2012 Labour Force Survey report has been attached.
Access policy
National Data Archive, Central Statistical Office of Zambia
National Data Archive, Central Statistical Office of Zambia
http://www.zamstats.gov.zm/nada/index.php/catalog/62
Cost: None
Data Access
| Name | Affiliation | URL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Statistical Office | Ministry of Finance, Government Republic of Zambia | http//:www.zamstats.gov.zm | info@zamstats.gov.zm |
| Is signing of a confidentiality declaration required? | Confidentiality declaration text |
|---|---|
| yes | This survey is being carried out under the provisions of the Census and Statistics Act, Chapter 127 of the Laws of Zambia. Confidentiality of the respondents is guaranteed by the Census and Statistics Act, Chapter 127 of the Laws of Zambia. Data has been anonymized and is available for public use. All persons residing in Zambia (or in the territory you are working in), except for foreign diplomats accredited to embassies and high commissions at the time of the survey, are required by this Act to provide the necessary information. However, winning cooperation of the people is most important for a successful survey. By the same Act data collectors are not permitted to show, disclose or discuss any information collected in the survey with anyone other than the survey officials. Data collectors and all other survey officials took an oath of secrecy in the presence of a magistrate or commissioner for oaths. If it is found that anyone has shown the survey documents or disclosed the information to unauthorized persons, that person will be prosecuted under this act. |
The access conditions to the report is that the report is open to public use provided the source of data is indicated.
Central Statistical Office, Labour Fource Survey 2012 (LFS 2012),Version 1.1 of the public use dataset (April 2014), provided by the Central Statistical office. http://wwww.zamstats.gov.zm/nada
Disclaimer and copyrights
The user of the data acknowledges that the original collector of the data, the authorised distributor of the data, and the relevent funding agency bear no responsibility for use of the data or for interpretations or inferences based upon such uses.
(c) 2013, Central Statistical Office, Zambia
Contacts
| Name | Affiliation | URL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Statistical Office | Ministry of Finance, Government Republic of Zambia | info@zamstats.gov.zm | http://www.zamstats.gov.zm |
Metadata production
DDI_ZMB_2012_LFS_v02_M
| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Central Statistical Office | Ministry of Finance | Documentation of Survey |
| Accelerated Data Program | International Household Survey Network (IHSN) | Review of the metadata |
2014-04-24
Metadata version
Edited version, the original (Version 1.0 (April 2014)) DDI (DDI-ZMB-CSO-LFS-2012-v01) was downloaded from National Data Archive, Central Statistical Office of Zambia (http://www.zamstats.gov.zm/nada/index.php/home) on December 2014. The following DDI elements have been modified: DDI Document ID, survey ID, Title, and Select Appropriate Data Type and Summary Statistics.