In a world saturated with metrics, GDP, literacy rates, and unemployment figures, we often forget to ask a far deeper, more human question: Are people truly empowered?

Yemi Babington-Ashaye’s TED Talk, “Where Would You Like to Land?,” strikes at this very nerve with a concept that could redefine governance and development in the 21st century: thezs Empowerment Index.

At its core, the Empowerment Index measures not just how people exist within a country, but how they are enabled to shape their lives, contribute meaningfully to society, and fulfill their potential. It’s about assessing opportunity, dignity, agency, and hope, intangibles that GDP can never capture.

And this is where the brilliance lies: viability.

The Empowerment Index doesn’t aim to replace economic statistics; it complements them, layering nuance onto dry data. It asks governments and organizations to look beyond profit and production toward people’s real capacity to live empowered lives. Think of it as upgrading our societal operating systems from “growth at all costs” to “growth with purpose.”

As nations wrestle with rising inequality, youth disillusionment, and eroding trust in institutions, the Empowerment Index emerges not as a luxury but as a necessity. It’s scalable because empowerment is universal, relevant in rural villages, booming megacities, fragile states, and digital metropolises alike. And because the Index adapts to local contexts while maintaining global standards, it could become a common language for progress in an otherwise fragmented world.

Now, imagine governments leveraging it:

• Policy-making would become more citizen-centered, focusing on closing empowerment gaps, not just income gaps.
• International aid would be distributed more effectively, targeting projects that enhance autonomy and resilience rather than create dependency.
• Civic trust would deepen, as citizens would see leaders genuinely committed to unlocking their potential rather than managing their poverty.

From Scandinavian capitals to African innovation hubs, from island nations to sprawling federations, the Empowerment Index could help governments measure what truly matters and act accordingly.

Let’s not overlook the messenger behind this vision

Yemi Babington-Ashaye radiates a rare blend of wisdom, optimism, and audacity. He reminds us that leadership is not about having all the answers but about asking better questions, questions that invite people to dream bigger and reach higher. Through his work and words, Yemi embodies the very empowerment he champions: bold enough to imagine a better future and courageous enough to help us build it.

In the end, the question is not whether the world is ready for the Empowerment Index. The real question is, how much longer can we afford to live without it?

Let’s #Maketheworldabetterplace