The MICS programme integrates geospatial data into survey research through data such as:
- GPS datasets, which preserve respondent confidentiality while offering valuable location information
- Survey boundaries, providing survey boundaries aligning with sampling frames of the survey
- Geospatial covariates that link survey locations with external datasets, facilitating statistical analyses on topics such as population, climate, and environmental factors
Starting from the third round of MICS in 2005, the MICS programme has advised the capture of GPS coordinates in surveys. Responding to a significant rise in demand for geocoded data over the years, since 2021 the MICS programme has been working towards making geographic data accessible for as many surveys as possible. To maintain the confidentiality of respondents and avoid revealing their precise locations, the GPS coordinates of urban clusters are displaced by a maximum of two kilometres, while rural clusters may experience a displacement of 5-10 kilometres.
MICS GIS involves the project of providing access to survey boundaries. The survey boundaries are accessible at both national and sub-national levels, aligning with the survey's sampling frame. The downloadable shapefiles feature national and sub-national geometries, sourced or approved by National Statistics Offices (NSOs). It's important to note that these boundaries do not imply endorsement by the UN, and they may not precisely reflect the sampling frame boundaries of MICS surveys.
The MICS programme will calculate geospatial covariates to link survey cluster locations with external data on various subjects such as population, climate and the environment. These covariates are extracted from global datasets and packaged as a zip file, which includes both a .csv data file and a data description PDF file defining each of the included covariates. This allows people with little knowledge in GIS to perform geospatial statistical analysis.