IJVA Methodology

How do we measure the joy of living of a continent?

An African approach to well-being

The IJVA stands out from traditional indices by allocating 40% of its weighting to the Ubuntu pillar, the African philosophy of community solidarity.

This weighting reflects an African vision of well-being, where social bonds and mutual support are considered essential to the joy of living.

The 4 IJVA Pillars

Security Security & Stability

Peace, political stability, personal safety

  • Global Peace Index (GPI)
  • Political stability (World Bank)
  • Absence of violence and terrorism
  • Rule of law (WGI)
  • Fragile States Index (FSI)

Sources: Global Peace Index, World Bank (WGI), Fund for Peace (FSI)

Material Material Well-being

Economy, infrastructure, access to services

  • GDP per capita (PPP)
  • Access to clean water
  • Access to electricity
  • Life expectancy at birth
  • Human Development Index (HDI)

Sources: World Bank, UNDP (HDI), WHO

Ubuntu Ubuntu

Solidarity, social cohesion, community support

  • Interpersonal trust
  • Community mutual aid
  • Social cohesion
  • Social capital and solidarity networks
  • Community participation
  • Sense of belonging

Sources: Afrobarometer, Gallup World Poll

Vitality Cultural Vitality

Culture, music, traditions, joy of living

  • Cultural and linguistic diversity
  • Vitality of local languages
  • Participation in cultural activities
  • Artistic and musical influence
  • Cultural heritage preservation

Sources: UNESCO, Afrobarometer

Calculation formula

IJVA = (Security × 0.2) + (Material × 0.2) + (Ubuntu × 0.4) + (Vitality × 0.2)

Each pillar is scored out of 100. The final IJVA score is therefore also out of 100.

The 5 well-being categories

Category Score Description
Very Good 70 - 100 Very Good (70+)
Good 55 - 69 Good (55-69)
Moderate 45 - 54 Moderate (45-54)
Moderate-Low 35 - 44 Moderate-Low (35-44)
Low 20 - 34 Low (25-34)
Critical 0 - 19 Critical (<25)

Sources and references

The IJVA relies on multiple data sources:

  • World Bank — World Development Indicators (WDI)
  • UNDP — Human Development Report
  • Institute for Economics & Peace — Global Peace Index
  • Afrobarometer — Public opinion surveys in Africa
  • Fund for Peace — Fragile States Index
  • UNESCO — Cultural and education statistics

Methodological limitations

Like any composite index, the IJVA has limitations:

  • Incomplete data for some countries (Somalia, Eritrea)
  • Inherent subjectivity in certain indicators (social cohesion, cultural vitality)
  • Difficulties in cross-cultural comparison of well-being
  • Limited temporal evolution (first edition 2024)

These limitations are taken into account in the interpretation of results. The IJVA is a reflection tool, not a definitive verdict.