A recent report on the Youth Meaningfulness Index (YMI), which measures the sense of meaning in life among children and youth worldwide, gave Morocco an average score of 7.90 out of 10.
The kingdom ranks just ahead of Ukraine, which had the lowest score at 6.82, but falls behind Kenya (8.30), Norway (8.23), Algeria (8.18), and both India and Peru (8.04), reflecting a mix of hope and challenges, and pointing to a broader global shortfall in emotional support for young people.
Data from “India, Kenya, Morocco, and conflict-affected areas in Ukraine (as of October 20, 2024) has been categorized as part of the vulnerable group,” said the same source, highlighting “the unique challenges faced by youth in disadvantaged and conflict zones and how socio-economic and geopolitical factors shape their sense of meaningfulness.”
It shows a decline in meaningfulness scores with age, with youth under 13 scoring the highest (7.84), followed by adolescents (7.47) and young adults (7.18).
This trend, according to the report, highlights the growing pressures faced by older youth in vulnerable contexts, likely due to increased responsibilities and external challenges as they transition into adulthood.
It also revealed that young females reported the lowest levels of meaning, highlighting a gender gap and underscoring the need for stronger emotional support, deeper social connections, and meaningful opportunities tailored to youth’s gender, age, and environment.
In Morocco, the YMI scores for children (7.85) and adolescents (7.69) appear close at first glance, but a closer look at individual statements reveals significant gaps, particularly in feelings of belonging, where children score significantly higher (8.11) than adolescents (7.29).
Similarly, children in Morocco score 7.64 for feeling valued and accepted by those around them, while adolescents score only 6.84, highlighting a sharp decline in the sense of belonging as they transition into adolescence.
Learning and aspirations stand out as key contributors to a sense of meaningfulness in the country.
Although Social Connectivity is one of the lower-scoring drivers overall (7.74), statements such as having people who care about them (8.68) and spending time with friends or family (8.43) rank among the top three, emphasizing the strong link between aspirations and familial relationships.
Meanwhile, self-care emerges as the weakest driver among Moroccan youth, especially in areas related to mental health and introspection, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to strengthen their overall well-being and sense of meaning.
add your comment
Terms of publication : Not to offend the writer, people, sacred things, or attack religions or the divine self, and refrain from racist incitement and insults.