\ Global Youth Development Index and Report 2016
upper-middle income, lower-middle income and
low income. High-income countries tend to be
very high YDI countries and low-income countries
tend to be have low YDI scores. Only one country in
the YDI top 30, Costa Rica, is not classified as high
income. Costa Rica is an upper-middle-income
country.
YDI has three primary indicators, each of which is
weighted at 10 per cent in the composite index.
The primary YDI indicators are analogous to the
HDI dimensions. Conceptually, this reflects the
fact that without strong performance in these
three crucial areas it is not possible to achieve high
standards in youth development. An important
difference between the two indexes is the inclusion
of the domains of Civic Participation and Political
Participation in the YDI. Figure 2.24 shows how the
YDI is strongly correlated with but does not exactly
mirror the HDI.
2.7 Youth Development Index and Human
Development Index
The HDI is a summary measure of average
achievement in key dimensions of human
development: a long and healthy life, adequate
education and a decent standard of living. It
is an important universal measure of human
development and progress, which recognises that
all levels of development depend heavily on these
three critical elements.
Comparing YDI and HDI scores yields some
useful insights. Analysing the difference in ranks
on the YDI and HDI at a regional level suggests
that youth development in South Asia, Central
America and Caribbean, Asia-Pacific and South
America is high in comparison with the overall level
of human development. The MENA region, Russia
and Eurasia, North America and Sub-Saharan
The YDI complements the HDI, with a specific
focus on the development of young people. The
Figure 2.24 Comparison of the 2016 YDI and 2015 HDI scores
Low development
200
NER
180
GAB
160
IRQ
UGA
140
SYC
2016 YDI Rank
120
LBR
CHN
RUS
FJI
BLZ
100
BRA
PHL
80
NPL
R=0.87
GRC
PER
60
High development
58
JAM
SGP
BHR
COL
40
USA
MLT
20
PRT
GBR
0
0
20
High development
Source: Commonwealth Secretariat
40
60
80
100
2015 HDI rank
120
140
160
180
Low development
200
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