Mothers, kids fare best in Sweden, worst in Niger

WASHINGTON — Save the Children’s annual “Mothers’ Index” finds that mothers and children fare best in Sweden and worst in Niger. The fourth annual index, released May 6, ranks the status of mothers’ well-being in 117 countries.

“The index confirms what 70 years of experience have taught us — the health and well-being of children is directly linked to the health and well-being of their mothers,” said Charles MacCormack, president of the global development and relief organization based in Westport, Conn., in a statement.

The index compares the status of mothers in 19 industrialized nations and 98 countries in the developing world. It is an appendix to Save the Children’s “State of the World’s Mothers 2003” report, which also details the global effect of war, sexual trafficking and human rights violations on women and children.