Abhik Sen on the Youth Development Index - Measuring Participation

What are the prospects for young people around the world in employment, education, health, and the civic and political spheres?

To answer this question, the Commonwealth Secretariat developed a Youth Development Index - like the UN's Human Development Index, but focusing exclusively on young people aged 15-29.

Looking at 18 indicators including literacy and mental disorder rates, financial inclusion and voter engagement, it ranks 183 countries from a youth perspective. It shows that Kenya has made the most progress in improving conditions for young people over the past five years, while young people in Pakistan, Angola and Haiti have experienced the greatest declines.To view the report, click here.

What about the behind the scenes decisions on indicators and data? Abhik Sen, Head of Policy and Research in the Youth Division of the Commonwealth Secretariat, spoke to Capacity4dev about data collection and issues of classification (0:05); indicators and participation as a measure of empowerment (0:57); and how the Youth Development Index can be used, including for accountability of the SDGs (1:56):