Finland Times

A Unicef research report released Wednesday ranked Finland the world’s fourth best country in terms of children’s well-being.

 

The Netherlands topped the list, followed by Norway, Iceland, Finland, and Sweden.

 

Romania, Latvia, Lithuania, the USA, and Greece were at the bottom of the list of 29 affluent countries.

 

Under separate categories, the report ranked Finland second in children’s material wellbeing, third in health and safety, fourth in education, 12th in behaviour and risk, and sixth in home environment, which took the country to fourth position on an average.

 

Finnish children playing in a park in Vantaa on February 11, 2013 Photo Lehtikuva.

A press release said the Unicef Office of Research conducted the study to ascertain the state of children across the industrialised world as debates continued to generate strongly opposed views on the pros and cons of austerity measures and social spending cuts.

 

The study also examined the achievements of the world’s 29 most advanced economies in ensuring children’s wellbeing during the first decade of this century. This international comparison, the report said, proved that child poverty in these countries was not inevitable but policy susceptible and that some countries were doing much better than others in protecting their most vulnerable children.

 

Whether in this time of economic crisis or in better financial periods, Unicef urged governments and social partners to place children and young people at the heart of their decision-making processes, said Unicef Office of Research Director Gordon Alexander. 

 

“For every new policy measure considered or introduced, governments explicitly have to explore the impact and effects on children, families with children, adolescents and young adults. These groups do not have a voice in the political processes or their voices are too seldom heard,” said Alexander.

Finnish children are playing in kindergarten. – Photo Lehtikuva

 

Child wellbeing in rich countries was measured on the basis of five dimensions of children’s life – material wellbeing, health and safety, education, behaviour and risks, and housing and environment.

 

The study did not find any strong connection between the per capita GDP and the overall child wellbeing. For instance, Slovenia ranks higher than Canada in overall wellbeing of children, the Czech Republic higher than Austria, and Portugal than the United States.

 

The study also found Central and East European countries beginning to close the gap with more established industrial economies, the press release said.