by Chi Ibe

 

No it’s not Afghanistan; a new study shows that Niger is the worst place in the world to be a mother.

This is principally due to hunger, according to an annual report by Save the Children. 

In contrast, Norway is the best according to the group’s “Best and Worst Places to Be a Mom” ranking which compares 165 countries in terms of maternal health, education, economic status and children’s health and nutrition. 

This year, the study focuses on nutrition particularly from the time a woman gets pregnant until the child is two, and findings revealed that millions more children survive, but suffer lifelong physical and cognitive impairments because they did not get the nutrients they needed early in their lives when their growing bodies and minds were most vulnerable. 

After Niger, the next worst countries were listed as Afghanistan — which held the lowest spot for two years — Yemen, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Eritrea, Chad, Sudan, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

 7 countries listed at the bottom of Save the Children’s annual index are in the midst of a food crisis. According to the report, Niger is currently in the grip of a worsening hunger situation, threatening the lives of a million children. 

Nigeria ranks 123rd on the list, and is at the bottom of the ‘Tier II: Less Developed Countries’. The third tier is the for the least developed countries in the world.

The top countries after Norway were Iceland, Sweden, New Zealand, Denmark, Finland, Australia, Belgium, Ireland, The Netherlands and Britain.

 

The group urged all governments to make the fight against malnutrition a priority.

Source: Agency Reports.