Singaporean parents, you should be very proud: our little island nation has been officially ranked as the best country for kids to grow up… in the world!
This is according to the latest yearly End of Childhood report published by Save the Children on 31 May 2018. Last year, Singapore ranked 33rd in this same report. So we’ve had a steady and fast climb to the number one spot!
According to The Straits Times, Singapore shares first place with reigning champion Slovenia, out of 175 countries.
Singapore takes no. 1 spot in the world as the best place to raise kids.
What Does It Take to Be the Best Country for Kids to Grow Up?
Countries are ranked across eight indicators: under-five mortality rate, child stunting, out-of-school children and youth, child labour, child marriage, adolescent birth rate, population displaced by conflict, and child homicide rate.
Singapore scored 987 out of a possible 1000! Completing the top five are Norway, Finland and Sweden.
Save the Children’s Asia regional director Hassan Noor Saadi is quoted by The Straits Times as saying, “This is a stunning result for Singapore, where children enjoy some of the healthiest childhoods possible.”
She elaborates, “Singapore is a great place for children to grow up with good access to high quality education and medical care services, while also being one of the safest countries in the world. Threats to childhood that plague other countries — like early marriage, poor access to education and war — simply don’t exist in Singapore, or at extremely low levels.”
Other Asian countries also took some spots in the top 20 in Save’s the Children’s report. Japan ranks 19th and South Korea, eighth.
Asia Still Has a Long Way to Go
Despite Singapore’s top-ranking position, the report is an eye-opener when it comes to the range of issues affecting kids in other Asian countries.
Child labour and marriage are still huge problems across the region. In fact, our region has the highest rate of child marriage in the world. It is also home to a staggering 40% of all child labourers.
Children from the Philippines and Afghanistan meanwhile, face “deteriorating childhoods” according to the report. The former fell from 96th to 104th place because of high stunting levels, and the latter dropped from 152nd to 160th. The kids here were found to be affected by “harrowing violence, poverty and disadvantage.”
Save the Children calls on governments to “ensure that no child dies from preventable or treatable causes or is subjected to extreme violence; is robbed of a future as a result of malnutrition, early or forced marriage, early pregnancy, or forced labour; and that they have access to a quality education.”
Also read: 5 Benefits for Singaporean Families from the government
Source: The Straits Times
While we are indeed privileged to be able to raise our kids in Singapore, let’s not forget the little ones growing up in neighbouring Asian countries who are not so lucky. What are your thoughts on Singapore being the best country for kids to grow up? We’d love to hear from you!
