The best and worst places to be a mother or child: survey
Study ranked countries based on access to health care, education and economy
May 6, 2008
CBC News

Canada ranks 20th out of 146 countries in a survey of the best and worst places to live for mothers and children, according to U.S. -based humanitarian organization Save the Children.

The group issued its ninth annual State of the World's Mothers report Tuesday, ranking countries according to mothers' and children's health, education and economic status.

Canada's ranking slipped to 20 from 15 last year, but not because of changes within Canada, says Susan Rooks, spokeswoman for Save the Children Canada.

"It's because a number of other countries improved spending on early childhood education and secondary education," Rooks told CBC.

Nordic countries came out on top while countries in sub-Saharan Africa dominated the bottom tier. Sweden tops the list, followed by Norway, Iceland and New Zealand while Niger ranks last among countries surveyed, just ahead of Chad, Yemen and Sierra Leone….

The gap in availability of maternal and child health services is especially striking when comparing Sweden, at the top of the list, and Niger, at the bottom. Skilled health personnel are present at virtually every birth in Sweden while only 33 per cent of births are attended in Niger….

200 million children without basic health care

In a separate survey, the group also ranked 55 developing countries according to children's access to health care.

It found more than 200 million children lack basic health care according to a recent survey of developing countries that estimates six million of those who die every year could be saved if they had access to such services….

In 12 of the 55 countries, the poorest children are three or more times more likely to die than the richest children. These countries include Azerbaijan, Brazil, Bolivia, Cambodia, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa and the Philippines….

Report: http://savethechildren.ca