The 15th annual State of the World’s Mothers Report ranked Nigeria 171st among 178 nations. According to the President and CEO of Save the Children USA, Carolyn Miles, Nigeria is among the bottom 10 countries because of its recent record of violence, political upheavals and poverty.
“Our 2014 research demonstrates how critical – and difficult – the mother-child connection is during a humanitarian crisis, when families’ lives are thrown into turmoil. It’s no surprise that the 10 toughest places to be a mother in this year’s Mothers’ Index all have a recent history of armed conflict and are considered to be fragile states. Six of the bottom 10 countries suffer from recurring natural disasters,” Miles said.
Speaking further, the President and CEO of Save the Children USA stated, “And, as usual, the poorest mothers have it the hardest: the report once again points out the disheartening disparity between mothers in rich and poor countries.”
According to the report, with a population of 177,155,754, Nigeria has a death rate record of 124 per 1,000 (having infant death rate of 74 per 1,000); its maternal death risk, according to the Mother’s Index Ranking, is 1 in 29 while only 61% of the populace have access to clean water.
The index also showed that almost 60 per cent of countries ranked in the bottom 10 over the years have been experiencing or emerging from conflict and that of the 28 countries that have ranked in the bottom 10, all but four have a recent history of armed conflict. The 2014 index gauges the welfare of mothers and children in 178 countries – 46 developed nations and 132 in the developing world.
“Save the Children has been working in Nigeria since 2001. We’re helping to improve health systems in northern Nigeria including the revival of routine immunization. We’re helping 4,320 children through support for protection and peace committees and we are getting 12,400 children back to school and providing them with clean water,” the report said.
