Measuring Social Inclusion in the MENA Region: The Development and Application of a Multidimensional Index

In this paper, we present the Social Inclusion Index in MENA, a new composite index designed to monitor and analyze social inclusion across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The Social Inclusion Index is a flexible tool intended for use by a wide range of stakeholders, including researchers, policymakers, NGOs, advocacy groups, and civil society organizations. The Index is based on an additive formula that consolidates the essence of 10 dimensions of social inclusion into a single score. This formulaic approach differentiates the Social Inclusion Index from other existing social indices, allowing anyone familiar with the underlying indicators to calculate the inclusion score for a particular country or region.

The Index measures key dimensions such as education, health, civic participation, digital equality, and financial inclusion, providing a comprehensive understanding of how well societies are integrating individuals and communities into their social, economic, and political systems. Validity tests demonstrate that the data-driven Social Inclusion Index effectively captures these dimensions of inclusion, performing as reliably as expert-based indices. This makes the Index a valuable resource in contexts where other social inclusion data may be lacking or inconsistent.

In this paper, we explain the construction of the Social Inclusion Index, test its validity, and present inclusion scores for 10 MENA countries, offering critical insights into the state of social inclusion in the region and the challenges that remain.