Child report: NZ can still do better

New Zealand ranks in the top 15 per cent in a new report that looks at the livelihoods of children across the globe.

The Global Childhood Report 2019 by Save the Children, released yesterday, ranked New Zealand 25th out of 176 countries.

It examined the main reasons why childhood ends early, including access to health care, education, nutrition and protection from harmful practices like child labour and child marriage.

Singapore was judged the country that best protects and provides for its children, followed by Sweden, Finland, Norway and Slovenia.

NZ was up from last year’s 28th spot. Australia was 15th, up two places from last year.

Jacqui Southey of Save the Children said the report focuses on gains made for children in the past 19 years.

The gains are measured against eight indicators: Childhood death, chronic malnutrition, time out of school, child labour, child marriage, adolescent birth, and child homicide.

“Here in New Zealand childhood has made some gains, including our children staying in school longer and we also have fewer teen pregnancies,” Southey said.

There had “been a culture change where children are seeing greater value in education, particularly if they want to go on to some kind of focused career”.

But NZ’s score on child homicides has stayed the same. “Sadly, we have failed to make progress in reducing the number of children who are victims of violent death.

“Between January 2004 and March 2019, 135 children aged 14 and under were killed in New Zealand, an average of nine children a year. Twothirds were aged under 2.”

Most were harmed by those who should be caring for them, Southey said.