UN or regional body paper
Worlds of Influence: Understanding What Shapes Child Well-being in Rich Countries
Anna Gromada, Gwyther Rees, Yekaterina Chzhen ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-sonnet-5-5This report looks at child well-being in 41 OECD and EU countries, covering health, skills and happiness. It finds a mixed picture, with poverty, exclusion and pollution threatening children's mental well-being, physical health and skills development. Even countries with good social, economic and environmental conditions are far from meeting the 2030 Agenda targets. The report sets children's experiences against national policies and social, educational, economic and environmental contexts, including whether parents have the support and resources they need.
Key points
- The picture of child well-being across 41 OECD and EU countries is mixed.
- Poverty, exclusion and pollution threaten children's mental well-being, physical health and opportunities to develop skills.
- Even countries with good social, economic and environmental conditions are a long way from meeting the 2030 Agenda targets.
- Focused and accelerated action is needed to meet these goals.
- The report covers children's survival, growth, protection, learning and feeling listened to, and parental support.
Limitations
Only a short abstract is available, so specific figures, country rankings and methods are not visible. The document does not name individual countries or evaluate any particular intervention.
Abstract
A new look at children from the world’s richest countries offers a mixed picture of their health, skills and happiness. For far too many, issues such as poverty, exclusion and pollution threaten their mental well-being, physical health and opportunities to develop skills. Even countries with good social, economic and environmental conditions are a long way from meeting the targets set in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Focused and accelerated action is needed if these goals are to be met. The evidence from 41 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and European Union (EU) countries tells its own story: from children’s chances of survival, growth and protection, to whether they are learning and feel listened to, to whether their parents have the support and resources to give their children the best chance for a healthy, happy childhood. This report reveals children’s experiences against the backdrop of their country’s policies and social, educational, economic and environmental contexts.