This analytical summary of the second edition of the statistical abstract Youth in the Commonwealth of Independent States: a Statistical Portrait was prepared by the CIS Interstate Statistical Committee of the Commonwealth of Independent States with financial support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

The full publication covers various aspects of young people’s lives in CIS countries: their demographic profile, migration, health, education, the level and quality of life, participation in the labour market and in legislative bodies. It uses official national statistics and indicators, disaggregated by gender where feasible. The indicators on the situation of youth in the Commonwealth countries are compared between CIS countries and with other countries of the world.

The portrait and its summary are intended for use by policy makers and practitioners working in areas that directly affect the lives of youth and by researchers, civil society organizations and young people themselves. Their publication is an important step towards monitoring of information related to the current situation of youth in the CIS region with regard to the Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2030.