Iraq scores poorly on Global Youth Development Index

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Iraq has ranked extremely poorly in an annual index published in the Global Youth Development Report 2020.

It was published by The Commonwealth, an intergovernmental association "of 54 countries working towards shared goals of prosperity, democracy, and peace," supported "by a network of more than 80 organizations."

The new report ranks 181 different nations around the world according to significant developments in youth education, employment, health, equality and integration, peace and security, and political and civic participation. Primary indicators also included literacy and the right to vote, among 1.8 billion people around the world between the ages of 15 and 29.

Overall, Iraq ranked 168th in the global index of 181 nations, scoring at the lowest level in youth development, along with several other nations that have faced conflict and large numbers of displacement over recent years.

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Among countries the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, Kuwait ranked first and 27th globally, then Qatar at 32nd globally, followed by Bahrain at 47th, Oman at 52nd, the UAE fifth at 56th, Saudi Arabia at 57th, Jordan at 78th, and Tunisia at 81st.

At the global level, Singapore topped the list of countries, followed by Slovenia, Norway, Malta, and Denmark, while the list was followed by Chad, while the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria were at the bottom of the list.

Editing by John J. Catherine