The Youth Progress Index is one of the most innovative tools for measuring the quality of life of young people because it reflects the things most important to their safety, health and freedom, and like all our indexes, it remains independent of economic indicators. This social progress index offers distinct and equally important insight that will be critically helpful in empowering the largest generation ever in their transition from childhood to adulthood. To learn more, visit https://www.youthforum.org/youth-progress-index/.

2. Common assumption that economic
development automatically generates
social progress
Economic development does not
always result in social progress
Social progress may also affect
economic development
To understand inclusive growth, we
need to measure social progress
directly as a complement to standard
economic measures
ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
SOCIAL
PROGRESS
Why measure social progress?

3. “The capacity of a society to meet the basic human
needs of its citizens, establish the building blocks that
allow citizens and communities to enhance and sustain
the quality of their lives, and create the conditions for all
individuals to reach their full potential.”

6. Youth Progress Index

7. Data challenges

8. Youth Progress Index
Basic Human Needs Foundations of Wellbeing Opportunity
Nutrition and Basic Medical Care Access to Basic Knowledge Personal Rights
Undernourishment Youth literacy Political rights
Depth of food deficit Primary school enrollment Freedom of expression
Maternal mortality rate Gross secondary enrollment Freedom of assembly/association
Child mortality rate Gender parity in secondary enrollment Private property rights
Deaths from infectious diseases Female population with some secondary education Youth confidence in police
Male population with some secondary education Percent of young members of parliament
Water and Sanitation
Access to piped water Access to Info and Communications Personal Freedom and Choice
Rural access to improved water source Youth mobile telephones Youth freedom over life choices
Access to improved sanitation and facilities Youth internet users Freedom of religion
Youth satisfaction with water Press freedom Early marriage
Satisfied demand for contraception
Shelter Health and Wellness Corruption
Youth availability of affordable housing Healthy life expectancy at birth Youth perception of corruption
Access to electricity Youth mortality from non-communicable diseases
Quality of electricity supply Youth suicide rate Inclusion
Youth household air pollution deaths Death rate from HIV/AIDS Youth openness towards immigrants
Youth openness towards homosexuals
Personal safety Environmental Quality Youth community safety net
Homicide rate Wastewater management Discrimination and violence against minorities
Level of violent crime Biodiversity and habitat Religious tolerance
Perceived criminality Greenhouse gas emissions Youth not in employment and not in education
Political terror Youth air pollution attributable deaths Youth employment gap
Youth traffic deaths Youth satisfaction with air quality
Youth safe walking alone Access to Advanced Education
Years of tertiary schooling
Women’s average years in school
Inequality in attainment of education
Tertiary enrollment rate

12. Youth Progress Index Basic Human Needs Foundations of
Wellbeing
Opportunity
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Youth Progress Index Score
Guinea
Central African Republic
Central African Republic
Mozambique
Finland
Denmark
Switzerland
Norway

13. Youth Progress Index
Basic Human Needs
Nutrition and Basic
Medical Care
Water and Sanitation
Shelter
Personal Safety
Foundations of
Wellbeing
Access to Basic
Knowledge
Access to Information
and Communications
Health and Wellness
Environmental Quality
Opportunity
Personal Rights
Personal Freedom and
Choice
Inclusion
Access to Advanced
Education
0
20
40
60
80
100
Youth Progress Index score
If the world were a
country, it would
score…

14. YPI
0K 10K 20K 30K 40K 50K 60K
GDP pc PPP
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Youth Progress Index
ArgentinaArmenia
Austria
Botswana
Switzerland
Cameroon
Costa Rica
Estonia
Finland
FranceCroatia
India
Iran
Israel
Mali
Malaysia
Norway
Russia

17. Basic
Human
Needs

18. Basic
Human
Needs

19. Basic
Human
Needs

20. Foundations
of
Wellbeing

21. Foundations
of
Wellbeing

22. Foundations
of
Wellbeing
Have you in the past year participated in any
activities of the following organisations?

23. Foundations
of
Wellbeing

24. Foundations
of
Wellbeing

26. Explore the results and findings at
Youthprogressindex.org
Join the discussion using #YouthProgress
Get in touch!