Client: Commonwealth Secretariat 

Background:

How to monitor changes in the situation of young people; recognise their contributions to the world; and support them while pursuing the SDGs.

Youth Development Index (YDI): contracted by the Commonwealth Secretariat since 2012. IEP has developed and produced the YDI which is used to track progress across time for 170 countries. It is also used as an advocacy tool for youth issues across the Commonwealth and the globe.

Solution:

Created a Youth Development Index (YDI) that measured the status of young people in 183 countries worldwide. The third edition of the report, published in 2020, showcases the tool’s capacity to monitor shifts in the circumstances of young people, recognise their contributions to the world, and support them while pursuing the SDGs.

The index evaluated youth development across six domains: Health and Wellbeing, Education, Employment and Opportunity, Political and Civil Participation, Equality and Inclusion, and Peace and Security.

The study evaluated the engagement of youth in political and civil activities, and fostering social equality and inclusion. It also assessed the contribution of sport to the SDGs from youth development perspectives, the state of education and vocational training, the role of digital technologies in shaping opportunities for youth. Further, it delved into the nexus between youth development and efforts to promote peace and security. 

Outcomes:

IEP produced a 275 page report into the situation of youth in countries and provided a score along with a snapshot of their current status. It offered perspectives that identified key opportunities and entry points for connecting, innovating and transforming the situation for youth development, including opportunities for change in human capital development, equality and inclusion, and security.