Kenya has been ranked 138 globally among 180 countries on measurements of children’s survival, health, education and nutrition according to a new report commissioned by the World Health Organization and UNICEF.
The report, published in the medical journal The Lancet on Tuesday, ranked 180 countries based on a “child flourishing index”. Further, Kenya is ranked 27 among countries taking action to improve child and adolescent well being.
The Kenyan government in a bid to eliminate child malnutrition, it has successfully carried out the Cost of Hunger in Africa (COHA) Kenya Study and estimated the economic and social impact of child under-nutrition in Kenya.
“Going forward, the Government is developing an implementation plan and mobilizing resources to facilitate the execution of policy recommendations emanating from the study findings,” according to the government.
In Africa, Tunisia is ranked 57, Mauritius (67), Libya (74), Algeria (85), Seychelles (89), Eqypt (103), Morroco (105), Bostwana (106), Cape Verde (109), Gabon (124), Nambia (126), South Africa(127), Rwanda (130), Ghana (133), Equatorial MGuinea (134) Senegal (136) Kenya (138).
Burundi, Chad, and Somalia ranked first, second and third on the sustainability rankings but 156th, 179th, and 178th, respectively, on the “flourishing” rankings.
According to the report, “Despite dramatic improvements in survival, nutrition, and education over recent decades, today’s children face an uncertain future. Climate change, ecological degradation, migrating populations, conflict, pervasive inequalities, and predatory commercial practices threaten the health and future of children in every country.”
“This report shows that the world’s decision makers are, too often, failing today’s children and youth: failing to protect their health, failing to protect their rights, and failing to protect their planet,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a written statement about the release of the report.
“This must be a wakeup call for countries to invest in child health and development, ensure their voices are heard, protect their rights, and build a future that is fit for children.”
The index was based on an aggregation of country-by-country data on various factors to measure child flourishing, including child survival rates, years of school, teen birth rates, maternal mortality, prevalence of violence, growth and nutrition, among other factors.
Top 10 rankings on the child flourishing index countries
Norway
South Korea
Netherlands
France
Ireland
Denmark
Japan
Belgium
Iceland
United Kingdom
The bottom 10 rankings on the child flourishing index
The central African Republic ranked last overall at No. 180
- Chad
- Somalia
- Niger
- Mali
- Guinea
- Nigeria
- South Sudan
- Sierra Leone
- Afghanistan
Child Hunger Threatening Africa’s Economic and Social Progress – Report
Top 10 rankings measurements of sustainability
- Burundi ranked first overall
- Chad
- Somalia
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo
- The central African Republic
- Malawi
- Rwanda
- Mali
- Niger
- Madagascar
The bottom 10 rankings on sustainability
Qatar, ranked last overall
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Kuwait
- United Arab Emirates
- Bahrain
- Saudi Arabia
- Australia
- United States
- Kazakhstan
- Luxembourg
