A/HRC/20/26/Add.1 28. According to the authorities, the rationale underpinning this change is that registerbased censuses are substantially less expensive, use information already available in registers, enable faster results, and thus can be conducted more frequently. In addition, register censuses are meant to provide better data protection compared to a conventional census where personnel conducting the interviews often live in the same municipality as the respondent, and may therefore know them personally, undermining anonymity. 21 29. Led by Statistik Austria, the new register census does not collect information on ethnic background and colloquial language, or on religion. 22 According to the authorities, there is insufficient register information on these topics to merit their inclusion. 23 Authorities also suggest that excluding ethnic background, colloquial languages and religion would avoid stigmatizing members of minority groups. 30. Members of national minorities have stated that in the past many people avoided answering questions on ethnic background and quantification of minorities in national statistics for several reasons, including historical trauma and personal fears, a reported lack of anonymity in the data collection process, and the biased or misleading manner in which questions pertaining to linguistic affiliation had been formulated. 24 Nevertheless, most academics and civil society organizations, including representatives of virtually all minorities, believe that it is important to document such information. 31. The Independent Expert appreciates the sensitivity of the issue. However, she is concerned that the lack of updated and reliable information on the number of people pertaining to minority groups may misrepresent their weight in Austrian society and, even more problematically, affect the rights to which they are entitled. The elimination of a comprehensive survey impedes adequate statistical assessment of cultural diversity in terms of linguistic and ethnic minorities, religious communities and migrant backgrounds of Austrian nationals. The absence of this information will impede effective planning to protect cultural rights and promote diversity in Austrian society. Moreover, this precludes any new group from being recognized as an autochthonous community, effectively blocking the possibility of providing other minority groups with the entitlements now afforded to recognized indigenous groups. It also does not seem to be in keeping with the spirit of the Constitution‟s new Article 8. 32. The Independent Expert shares the view of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which, in 2008, recommended that Austria “conduct censuses and collect data, including on the basis of the use of mother tongues, languages commonly spoken or other indicators of ethnic diversity, together with any information derived from targeted social surveys conducted on a voluntary basis, with full respect for the privacy and anonymity of the individuals concerned, in order to obtain accurate information on all ethnic groups living in the territory of the State party.” 25 33. She concurs with the concern of the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities regarding the shortage of reliable data on the socio-economic and educational situation of persons belonging to national minorities in Austria. The Committee recalled that “data collection on the situation of minorities is crucial to the development of adequate anti-discrimination policies and of specific policies 21 22 23 24 25 8 http://www.statistik.at/web_de/frageboegen/registerzaehlung/index.html. Information on religion and colloquial language may only be collected if a specific regulation is issued by the relevant Federal Ministry. http://www.statistik.at/web_en/statistics/population/population_censuses/index.html. See Dr. Matjaž and Dr. Vladimir Klemenčič, Prizadevanja koroških Slovencev za narodnostni obstoj po drugi svetovni vojni, (Klagenfurt/Celovec, Hermagoras Verlag/Mohorjeva založba, January 2007).. CERD/C/AUT/CO/17, para. 9.