# **II.III – Uzbekistan L2CU Baseline Survey 2018**

Official HBS data for Uzbekistan had not been made available by the National Statistical Agency to the World Bank until recently. However, the L2CU activity, which is conducted by a private firm on behalf of the World Bank and in cooperation with Ministries and the Statistical Agency, included a comprehensive baseline survey appropriate to the needs of poverty mapping. The survey design closely followed the Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS) surveys and was conducted using a standard two-stage sampling design, in which 200 clusters (administrative territories called mahallas, in the case of Uzbekistan) were randomly selected with probability proportionate to size. The national sample was stratified by region and by urban areas.

Though a national household census would be a preferable sample frame for the first selection step; no such census has been conducted in Uzbekistan since independence from the Soviet Union (a census is currently scheduled for 2022). Instead, the universe of mahallas, the smallest official jurisdiction in Uzbekistan, was used. These data include official population statistics provided by the National Mahalla Committee from official registration data (current as of the first quarter of 2018). The data were re-weighted based on observed population totals within the mahallas at the time of the survey fieldwork. The second stage procedure was conducted using simple random selection with equal probability within selected mahallas. A separate stratification level for households that receive social assistance was included, totaling 4 households per mahalla. The final sample included 4,000 households in total (20 households per mahalla), 800 of which were social protection recipients by design.

The baseline survey included a full consumption and expenditure module using a list/recall approach. The resulting estimates are representative for 12 regions, 1 autonomous republic, and 1 independent city (Tashkent), crossed with their urban areas (except for the City of Tashkent, which is entirely urban). The survey was conducted entirely on tablet devices (CAPI), enabling validation using crossreferencing and other techniques to ensure accuracy. The survey was conducted over the course of a 1.5-month period in May/June 2018. Although the L2CU study collected data continuously, the baseline is the only source that provides a comprehensive consumption and expenditure module.

# **II.IV – Kyrgyz Republic HBS 2016**

Poverty rates and other welfare estimates for Kyrgyzstan rely on the 2016 round of the Kyrgyzstan HBS, conducted by the National Statistical Agency. For household consumption, the survey is usually considered nationally representative, representative at the oblast (region) level, and separately representative for rural and urban areas. The survey uses a stratified sample design with strata corresponding to seven regions + 1 large city (Bishkek) crossed by their urban and rural areas. A complete consumption module (using a diary approach) is gathered in the HBS, covering both food and non-food items. Information on household composition, income, employment, and related topics is also collected. All data are collected in-person, and in most recent years using a CAPI system.

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