1-2-3 Technique

The 1-2-3 Technique refers to a set of surveys on employment, the informal work sector, and household living conditions that develops labour statistics via a three-stage approach. That technique was developed by AFRISTAT in consultation with DIAL, and has been administered by national statistical institutes in countries like Cameroon (1993) and Madagascar (1995, 1998), and also in seven Member States of WAEMU (2001-2003) within major cities (capitals) like Cotonou (Benin), Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), Abidjan (Ivory Coast), Bamako (Mali), Niamey (Niger), Dakar (Senegal) and Lomé (Togo), with the aim of using and comparing the data obtained on the regional scale. The project received financing from the European Union, the French Overseas Development department, and the World Bank.

The first phase of the 1-2-3 Technique involves a household-based survey on employment and unemployment. The survey is designed to study the labour market and to build the sampling frame for the second phase of the survey. That survey specifically aims to identify informal activities that are accomplished at home. During the second phase of the 1-2-3 Technique, a survey of businesses is performed. Finally, the main sample of the first phase also provides the sampling frame for the third-phase survey, which is a household-expenditure survey related to the informal employment sector. As part of the Metagora project, specific modules on governance and democracy were added to the three types of surveys described.

Further information on the 1-2-3 Technique can be obtained as follows:

1. Information on the Metagora-specific activity related to the 1-2-3 surveys can be found at www.metagora.org.

2. The role of DIAL in the 1-2-3 Surveys can be discussed with François Roubaud – IRD UR DIAL « Développement, institutions et analyses de long terme », 4 rue d’Enghien, 75010 PARIS, France. Tel.: +33 (0)1 53 24 14 76, Fax: + 33 (0)1 53 24 14 50, roubard at dial dot prd dot fr.