Here’s Where Ireland Ranks In The Ten Best Countries To Grow Up In

Did you have a happy childhood growing up? Well, a new report says that you more than likely did.

The ‘End of Childhood’ index is a report compiled by charity Save the Children, and ranks countries worldwide for how good they are for children to grow up and live in, the Irish Independent reports.

Ireland was ranked an impressive 7th out of 173 countries, according to the report, shows no moderate or severe risks to children overall in areas studied such as mortality rates, out-of-school rates, adolescents currently in a union or child homicide rates.

The index also stated that Ireland was one of 37 countries worldwide that has ‘few children at risk of missing out on childhood’.

Ireland ranked above the United Kingdom (22nd) and the United States (36th), while Norway and Slovenia joint topped the list.

The report aims to highlight the ‘700 million’ children worldwide whose childhood ends too soon, and also highlights the risk of teenage childbirth, saying that the 17 million girls giving birth annually forces “them to assume adult responsibilities and putting their health, education and economic prospects at risk,” 

Here’s the very best and very worst…

The top 10 best countries to have a childhood:

1. Norway, Slovenia (tie)

3. Finland

4. Netherlands, Sweden (tie)

6. Portugal

7. Ireland

8. Iceland, Italy (tie)

10. Belgium, Cyprus, Germany, South Korea (tie)

The top 10 worst countries to have a childhood:

1. Niger

2. Angola

3. Mali

4. Central African Republic

5. Somalia

6. Chad

7. South Sudan

8. Burkina Faso

9. Sierra Leone, Guinea (tie)

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