Fafo and population studies

Population studies of developing countries are an expanding field at Fafo. Population issues are at the core of Fafo’s general living conditions research, and Fafo has the largest group of researchers in Norway with competence in the demography of developing countries.

A key component in field research
Collection of demographic data is a key component of Fafo’s international research. Most Fafo surveys have a module on population, and some surveys are specifically tailored to demographic issues. One example is the West Bank and Gaza Strip demographic survey.

Population in context: Demographic data and socio-economic data
A crucial characteristic of Fafo’s surveys is that they allow demographic analysis with a much wider range of background variables than is common. This is because Fafo usually collects demographic data as part of multi-topic surveys. This allows depth in models of demographic issues and provides realism to the analysis of links between population and development policy.

Demographic analysis as important as field research
Fafo has also carried out projects based on previously collected data – own or from other sources. Examples include the demography of East Timor, the development of the Palestinian population in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and the demography of Jordan. Studies on specific topics are also carried out. For example the relation between demographic patterns and household formation in Eritrea, political fertility in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and the influence of consanguineous marriages on infant and child mortality.

Migration and labour force
A particular focus of population research at Fafo is that of labour force issues and migration. In surveys such as the Syrian migration survey and the Survey on occupational mobility and migration in three Chinese cities researchers link migration data with careers in the labour market, thus gaining an understanding of how economic transition, labour migration and urbanisation affects welfare.

Fafo also carries out basic labour force surveys and analysis of such surveys in many countries.

Another aspect of migration that is an important topic for Fafo, is that of refugees. Fafo is honoured to carry out the technical aspects of Norway’s role as shepherd for data on Palestinian refugees in the multilateral track of the Middle East peace process. In the course of that work, Fafo has built considerable expertise on the demography of refugees, and in particular on the demography of Palestinian refugees.