On census (LRU-611-son)

16.03.2020

Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Adopted by the Legislative Chamber on November 21, 2019 Approved by the Senate on February 28, 2020

Chapter 1. General provisions

Article 1. Purpose of this Law

The purpose of this Law is to regulate relations in the field of census.

Article 2. Legislation on the census

The legislation on the population census consists of this Law and other legislative acts.

If an international treaty of the Republic of Uzbekistan establishes rules other than those provided for by the legislation of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the population census, the rules of the international treaty shall be applied.

Article 3. Basic concepts

The following basic concepts shall apply in this Law:

census — a periodic process of collecting and processing personal data that determine the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the population at a fixed date, carried out throughout the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan or in its certain territories;

census date — a specific moment (year, month, day and hour) at which population data are collected and recorded;

respondents — citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan, foreign citizens and stateless persons who are on the date of the census in the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan, citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan permanently residing in it, but on the date of the census are outside it;

census sheet — an established form for recording personal data on prescribed questions;

census documentation — a set of documents relating to the process of preparation for the census and its implementation;

census staff — adult citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan involved in the preparation for the census and its conduct who have undergone special training;

household — a set of people who jointly live in one residential building or part thereof, provide themselves with everything necessary for living, maintain a common household, fully or partially combine and spend money. These persons may or may not be related. The household may consist of one person.

Article 4. The main purpose of the census

The main purpose of the census is to obtain reliable and objective information about the state and dynamics of the development of the population structure in the Republic of Uzbekistan, which is necessary for determining and implementing priority directions of state policy in the field of socio-economic and socio-political development of the country.

Article 5. The main tasks of the census

The main tasks of the census are:

expanding the database to assess changes in the structure of the population, the demographic situation in the country in order to develop measures to improve public health, improve the living conditions of women and children, and help families;

preparation of long, medium and short-term forecasts and programs for the socio-economic development of cities and other settlements, placement and use of labor resources;

implementation of current accounting, calculations and forecasting of the number and composition of the population in the period between censuses;

conducting research on socio-economic development.

Article 6. Basic principles of the census

The main principles of the census are:

periodicity;

universality and simultaneity;

individuality of registration;

confidentiality of personal data;

centralization of census management.

Article 7. The principle of periodicity

The census is carried out at least once every ten years.

The decision to conduct the census indicating the date and time is taken by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The proposal to conduct the census is made by the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan, as a rule, no later than three years before the expected date of the census.

Article 8. The principle of universality and simultaneity

The collection of personal data from all respondents on a single fixed date of the census is carried out all over the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan or in its certain territories simultaneously.

Article 9. The principle of individuality of registration

When collecting personal data, the census sheet is filled out individually for each respondent.

Article 10. The principle of confidentiality of personal data

Census personal data is confidential and cannot be disclosed and disseminated without the consent of the respondent.

Article 11. The principle of centralization of census management

Preparation for the census and its implementation in the Republic of Uzbekistan are carried out centrally on the basis of the creation of a unified census management system.

Chapter 2. Census regulation

Article 12. State regulation in the field of the census

State regulation in the field of the census is carried out by the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Republican Commission for assistance in the census of the Republic of Uzbekistan, a specially authorized state body in the field of the census, as well as local government bodies in accordance with their powers.

Article 13. The powers of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan in the field of the census

The Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan shall:

ensure the implementation of a unified state policy in the field of the census;

approve the procedure for preparing for the census and its implementation, the census program and forms of the census sheet;

determine the procedure for using the final census data;

coordinate the activities of state administration bodies and local executive authorities in the field of population census;

determine the procedure for attracting individuals and legal entities to the census and paying them remuneration.

Article 14. Republican Commission for assistance in the census of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Republican Commission for assistance in the census in the Republic of Uzbekistan shall:

ensure timely and high-quality implementation of measures related to the preparation for the census and its implementation;

coordinate and monitor the progress of preparations for the census and its implementation;

analyze the results of the census;

consider proposals on financing preparation for the census and its implementation, organization of processing of the census materials and publication of its results;

organize the attraction of individuals and legal entities to participate in the preparation for the census and its implementation with the solution of issues of payment for their work;

develop proposals for cooperation with international organizations.

The procedure for the formation and organization of activities of the Republican Commission to assistance in the census in the Republic of Uzbekistan is determined by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The working body of the Republican Commission for assistance in the census in the Republic of Uzbekistan is the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on statistics.

Article 15. Specially authorized state body in the field of the census

The specially authorized state body in the field of the census is the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on statistics (hereinafter - the specially authorized state body).

The specially authorized state body shall:

develop and approve the census documentation forms, census staff certificate form;

develop the census program and the census sheet;

ensure the production of the census sheets and bringing them to the regions;

coordinate the work of informing the population about the census;

determine the procedure for the recruitment and training of census personnel, as well as the procedure for processing personal data and processes them;

establish the procedure for storage (including temporary storage), destruction of the census sheets and other census documentation;

provide storage and destruction of the census sheets and other census documentation.

Article 16. Powers of local government bodies in the field of the census

Representative bodies of local state authority shall ensure that, during the one-year period preceding the date of the population census, any changes to the boundaries of administrative-territorial units, as well as the naming and renaming of toponymic objects, are temporarily suspended.

Local executive authorities shall:

establish territorial commissions to facilitate the conduct of the population census;

ensure the compilation of a complete list of settlements, indicating the number of permanent residents in each settlement, taking into account the boundaries of administrative-territorial units;

ensure the presence within administrative-territorial units of signs indicating street names and the numbers of houses and apartments;

approve the composition of the census personnel engaged for the census;

ensure the provision of temporary premises equipped with suitable furniture and communication facilities for the training and work of persons engaged in carrying out census-related activities, as well as the provision of the necessary means of transport;

take measures to allocate secured premises for the temporary storage of census materials and documents;

organise the coordination of activities aimed at ensuring the security of the population census.

Article 17. Participation of ministries and agencies in the population census

Ministries and agencies responsible for organizing the population census shall assist the special authorized state body in fulfilling its tasks in the field of the population census.

Article 18. Participation of citizens' self-government bodies, non-governmental non-commercial organizations and the mass media in the census

Citizensʼ self-government bodies, non-governmental non-commercial organizations and the mass media can:

assist in preparing for and conducting the census;

participate in the process of informing about the census;

carry out public control in preparation for the census and its implementation in the field.

Chapter 3. Rights and obligations of respondents and the census staff

Article 19. Rights and obligations of respondents

Respondents have the right to:

know for what purpose their personal data is collected, by whom and how they will be used;

get acquainted with the census sheets filled out on them, clarify the completeness and accuracy of the personal data included in the census sheets;

require the census staff to present the appropriate certificate, and in case of refusal, not to answer the questions contained in the census sheet;

provide reliable personal data according to the form of the census sheet.

Respondents should not resist the census.

Article 20. Rights and obligations of the census staff

The census staff has the right to:

receive personal data from respondents according to the census sheet;

pay for the performance of work related to the preparation for the census and its implementation.

The census staff are required to:

provide the respondent with their ID before collecting personal data;

perform work in accordance with their authority in a quality and timely manner;

adhere to the list of questions prescribed in the Census program in the process of collecting personal data, avoid distorting their content;

ensure the confidentiality of personal data, not to disclose their content.

Chapter 4. Conducting the census

Article 21. The Census program

The census program is a list of questions on which personal data is collected.

The Census program contains the following questions:

full name;

date and place of birth;

age;

sex;

nationality;

citizenship;

place of residence (place of stay);

language proficiency;

education;

state of marriage;

amount of children;

household composition;

living conditions;

employment;

livelihood sources;

migration (internal and external).

By decision of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan, other questions may be additionally included in the Census program.

It is not allowed to include questions whose answers may contain information related to state secrets and other secrets protected by law that violate the rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of citizens.

The census sheets are developed and approved based on the Census program.

Article 22. Trial census

Trial census is approbation of the draft Program of the census and census documentation forms, collection and processing of personal data, as well as the main activities for its preparation and conduct in one or more administrative and territorial units.

The procedure for conducting the trial census is established by the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Article 23. The procedure for collecting personal data

The collection of personal data is carried out by interviewing respondents and filling out the census sheets when going around residential and other premises in which they live (stay), or in the premises provided for these purposes by local government bodies.

The collection of personal data can also be carried out using information and communication technologies, taking into account the requirements for ensuring information security.

The survey of respondents is conducted in the state language. Respondents who do not speak the state language can be interviewed in their native language or in a freely chosen language of communication.

The census sheets are filled in by census staff according to the respondents.

Personal data on respondents who are absent during the census at the place of residence (place of stay) or who are minors are reported by adult members of their household. Personal data on persons over whom guardianship or trusteeship is established are reported by their guardians or trustees.

If a respondent refuses to answer the questions contained in the census questionnaire, the questionnaire shall be completed on the basis of information available from citizensʼ self-government bodies or local executive authorities.

The collection of personal data on questions not covered by the Census program is prohibited.

Article 24. Collection of personal data in relation to certain categories of the population

The collection of personal data on respondents who are military personnel on conscription military service as well as military personnel contracted for military service and members of their families living in closed territories at the time of the census is carried out by the military unit commander or his authorized representative.

Collection of personal data on respondents residing (located) at the date of the census in:

children's boarding schools, educational institutions, “children's towns”;

social institutions;

religious institutions;

hospitals and other healthcare organizations;

in women's rehabilitation and adaptation centers;

places of detention in custody, remand center, correctional and special institutions — carried out by the administrations of institutions and organizations specified in this part.

Citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan who are employees of diplomatic missions and consular offices of the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as missions of the Republic of Uzbekistan to international organizations and their family members who are with them, including citizens seconded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan to quota positions in international intergovernmental organizations, are subject to the census by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Foreign citizens who are employees of permanent missions of foreign states, representations of international, intergovernmental organizations and government organizations of foreign states accredited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan and their families, as well as other persons with diplomatic privileges and immunity in accordance with international treaties of the Republic of Uzbekistan are not to subject of the census.

Article 25. Final census data

Final census data is a summary of statistical information generated as a result of the collection and processing of personal data.

The final data characterizing the main indicators of the demographic and socio-economic situation of the population are publicly available for individuals and legal entities, published in the media and posted on the official website of the specially authorized state body.

When using the final census data, property and moral harm, obstruction of the exercise of the rights and freedoms of citizens are not allowed.

Article 26. Financing the preparation and conducting events for the census

The financing of expenses related to the preparation for and the carrying out of the population census shall be performed at the expense of the State Budget funds of the Republic of Uzbekistan and other funds not prohibited by legislation.

Chapter 5. Final provisions

Article 27. Dispute resolution

Disputes arising in the field of the population census shall be resolved in the manner prescribed by legislation.

Article 28. Liability for violating the legislation on the population census

Persons guilty of violating the legislation on the population census shall be held liable in the manner prescribed.

Article 29. Ensuring the execution, dissemination, clarification of the essence and significance of this Law

The State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on statistics and other interested organizations shall ensure the execution, dissemination to the performers and clarification among the population of the essence and significance of this Law.

Article 30. Harmonization of legislation with this Law

The Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan:

to bring government decisions in accordance with this Law;

to ensure the review and annulment by government bodies of their normative legal acts that contradict this Law.

Article 31. The entry into force of this Law

This Law shall enter into force on the day of its official publication.

President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sh. MIRZIYOYEV

Tashkent city,

March 16, 2020

No. LRU-611