The Netherlands has the highest score of all countries in the field of child welfare, UNICEF reports after one on Thursday research in the 41 most prosperous countries. The top three also consists of Denmark and Norway.
The children’s rights organization has conducted worldwide research into the mental and physical health of children aged up to and including eighteen years. Their social and academic skills were also examined. The Netherlands has the highest overall score.
According to the survey, 90 percent of Dutch children are satisfied with their lives. Mexico (86 percent) and Romania (85 percent) complete the top three. Turkey scores worst at 53 percent, followed by Japan (62 percent) and the United Kingdom (64 percent).
Dutch children also appear to have good social and academic skills. In this area, according to the UNICEF report, things are only improving in Norway and Slovenia.
In terms of physical health, Dutch children are in ninth place. The Netherlands scores less well in this respect than, among others, Japan, Norway and Switzerland, because in those countries fewer children die and fewer children are overweight.
These countries score the highest:
- 1. The Netherlands
- 2. Denmark
- 3. Norway
- 4. Switzerland
- 5. Finland
- 6. Spain
- 7. France
- 8. Belgium
- 9. Slovenia
- 10. Sweden
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‘Growing up in a prosperous country offers no guarantees’
According to UNICEF, no country scores high on all themes. “Growing up in a prosperous country does not guarantee a happy and healthy life where good education is self-evident,” said the UN organization.
Suzanne Laszlo, director of UNICEF Netherlands, says that the outcome of the research is “very good”, but emphasizes that attention should also be paid to where things are not going well with children in the Netherlands. For example, recent research shows that Dutch young people experience the most stress due to school pressure.
Laszlo says that in addition, the corona crisis must also be taken into account, which mainly affects children from poorer families. “Children and young people are mentally affected by the corona pandemic, so we have to be extra vigilant about how they are doing.”
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