Survey to help plan policies for youth

The UAE yesterday launched a nationwide ‘Youth Development and Wellbeing Index Survey’ to provide a baseline of national data on the state of youth wellbeing and factors affecting youth development.

Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, who is also Chairman of the Emirates Foundation, launched the survey with an introductory video highlighting the importance of having such an index to help the country design smarter policies and investments to improve opportunities for young people.

With the survey being the first comprehensive attempt to assess various aspects of youth development and wellbeing in the UAE, the minister called upon families and youth across all seven Emirates to contribute to making the initiative a success with their wholehearted participation.

Emirates Foundation is championing the Youth Development and Wellbeing Index Survey, in partnership with the Emirates Youth Council, Dubai Economy and the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority.

The Index is designed to provide a baseline of national data on the state of youth wellbeing and factors impacting and affecting youth development. Aligned with the National Strategy for Youth Development, it will also help bring youth issues to the forefront of leaders’ and stakeholders’ agendas and will guide the development of policies and strategies that advance youth wellbeing in the country. The Youth Index is in line with the directives of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, that “the next generation is a vital driving force for progress”.