The Global Youth Wellbeing Index

Published on

Abstract

Youth comprise a quarter of the world’s population, but remain an underutilized source of innovation, energy, and enthusiasm in global efforts to achieve and promote the increased wellbeing of all. As children grow and mature into adults, they make choices that affect not only their own wellbeing, but that of their families, communities, and countries. Youth-inclusive societies are more likely to grow and prosper, while the risks of exclusion include stinted growth, crime, and unrest. Therefore, it is imperative that education and health systems, labor markets, and governments serve their interests and provide the policies, investments, tools, technology, and avenues for participation they need to thrive and succeed. Yet, at a time when policy and investment decisions are increasingly data driven, data on youth development and wellbeing is often fragmented, inconsistent, or nonexistent. Thus, our understanding of how young people are doing in their own right and vis-à-vis their peers elsewhere is limited. As a result, the needs of young people often remain unexposed and marginalized by their complexity. In response, the International Youth Foundation (IYF) and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), with principal financial support from Hilton Worldwide, have joined forces to develop the Youth Wellbeing Index, online at youthindex.org as the flagship project of a new broader policy research agenda. Global Youth Wellbeing Index You can download: and 30 country reports:

Authors

Katherine Perry, Nicole Goldin, Payal Patel

Available languages