Dutch kids have highest well-being in world, with exceptions

Dutch children are in first place in the world regarding well-being, according to a ranking by UNICEF. The United Nations Children’s Rights Organization compared 43 countries with each other. Although no country scored better than the Netherlands, UNICEF does have some critical comments. Children growing up in poverty, youth care, and asylum shelters do not enjoy the same level of well-being as other kids in the Netherlands.

“Let this be an encouragement to ensure that all children in the Netherlands can develop into happy adults,” said Suzanne Laszlo, director of UNICEF Netherlands.

The study compares data from 2018 and 2022. Children’s well-being “deteriorated significantly” during the coronavirus pandemic. In the Netherlands, performance in mathematics and literacy, among other things, declined in that period. The percentage of overweight children also rose, to 17.6 percent.

Satisfaction among 15-year-olds was the highest in the Netherlands: 87 percent of 15-year-olds indicated that they were satisfied with their lives. That was a decrease compared to 2018, when this figure was still 90 percent.

UNICEF stressed that to maintain its good position, the Netherlands must continue to invest in education, equal opportunities, libraries, swimming pools, sports, and culture. These are all “essential for maintaining this good score,” the organization state.

The Netherlands also topped the UNICEF ranking in 2020.