Global Motherhood: The 30 Best Places In The World To Be A Mom

No matter where you are in the world, the joy of motherhood is a universal emotion. However, the conditions in which women raise their children vary from country to country. As part of the 2012 State of the World’s Mothers report, Save the Children has released their 13th annual Mothers’ Index.

Of the 165 countries surveyed, Norway, Iceland and Sweden top the rankings this year. The top 10 countries, in general, attain very high scores for mother and child health, educational attainment and economic status. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Niger ranks last. The 10 bottom-ranked countries -- eight from sub-Saharan Africa -– are a reverse image of the top 10, performing poorly on all indicators. The United States places 25th this year –- up six spots from last year.

Each country page will include a fact that supports the country's ranking. Please refer to the Appendix of the main report for all the detailed rankings.

As you view this slide show of the top 30 places to be a mom, keep in mind that no matter where you are in the world, mothers everywhere should be given the basic tools they need to break the cycle of poverty and improve the quality of life for themselves, their children, and for generations to come.

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30. Japan

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Comments

[season555]

06:15 PM on 05/12/2013

Happy mothers day to all:

After Allaah it is you mothers one must respect the most:

"Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worship none but Him, and that ye be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honor. And out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility, and say: ‘My Lord! bestow on them Thy Mercy even as they cherished me in childhood' "(17:23-24).

A man came to the Prophet and said, ‘O Messenger of God! Who among the people is the most worthy of my good companionship? The Prophet said: Your mother. The man said, ‘Then who?' The Prophet said: Then your mother. The man further asked, ‘Then who?' The Prophet said: Then your mother. The man asked again, ‘Then who?' The Prophet said: Then your father. (Bukhari, Muslim).

Your mother carries for 9 months, goes through labour pain ( that is why if a women dies in childbirth she is given the status of a Shahid or Martyr, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shahid.) and finally takes loves and takes care of you for many years.

[Angie Daniels]

05:05 PM on 04/03/2013

I wish the most awesome ones weren't so cold lol.

[Sundarban Foundation]

01:28 AM on 03/18/2013

Sundarban Foundation Work in Satkhira Di stick South oust rejoin .

[season555]

06:07 PM on 05/12/2013

Sundarban Foundation Work Ai ta ki?

[Sundarban Foundation]

04:16 AM on 05/13/2013

Sundarban Foundation (SF)is a local NGO. It was established in January, 2009 with the initiation of a group of educated, energetic and dedicated like-minded social workers of
Satkhira District under the leadership of Ayesha Akhter, a famous social worker of Satkhira, who has been involved with social activities for long time.
Mission: To established the poor and vulnerable people, especially the women, disabled and children in the society of coastal areas in general and Satkhira district in particular, mangrove areas and Indian boarder areas through making them aware, capable, self-reliant and self-initiators through building capacity, institutions, capital, utilization of local resources and imparting felt-need based problem solving programs involving necessary skilled, trained, , experienced and qualified personnel.
Vision: Established and empowered poor and vulnerable coastal belt, mangrove and boarder area people, especially the women, disable and children in the society, who are neglected, exploited and deprived in the society.

[Sundarban Foundation]

04:20 AM on 05/13/2013

Goals:
• To work in the field of renewable energy and energy efficiency
• To make aware and organize the poor and vulnerable people, especially the women, disable and children.
• To build capacity of the organized beneficiaries of poor women and disables through providing different training courses, seminar and workshops.
• To promote education and literacy among the community people through providing basic literacy, numeric knowledge and social awareness.
• To establish human rights, legal rights and democracy rights in the society.
• To develop self-capital through savings.
• To create employment and income earning opportunities for the poor organized people.
• To develop professional skills of the organized beneficiaries.
• To build peoples institutions and greater solidarity.
• To promote gender relation in the society.
• To promote environmental status through controlling pollution and natural resource destruction.
• To prevent carbon emission in the environment.
• To develop future citizens through education and skills training.
• To prevent trafficking, violence, anti- social activities and women torturing.

[yvettesuniverse]

05:12 AM on 03/15/2013

omg!! can i have the baby in iceland (number 2)... those cheeks are sooooo cute!!!!

[dbrockskk1]

06:59 PM on 03/14/2013

don't American mothers need health insurance? or they have monsterous medical bills?

[Kevin R Schmidt]

06:20 PM on 03/14/2013

Uh oh ... the liberal press is dissing America again. Those European socialist don't know any better.

[antaro67]

06:14 PM on 03/14/2013

Morocco is the best....

[mleesa]

07:16 PM on 04/19/2013

why is that?

[antaro67]

10:56 PM on 04/19/2013

I guess there's no stress ,and that is very important,

[oldf-rt]

05:52 PM on 03/14/2013

I find it interesting that other than Japan and the US all the nations are European. And I also noticed not a single Islamic nation made the list. I wonder why???

[misskamm]

03:14 PM on 04/11/2013

Canada, Australia and New Zealand are on there.

[Peer Byron McGee]

01:55 PM on 03/10/2013

Other than Japan, no countries are in Asia Pacific, Africa, and Latin America.

[bushfailure]

12:54 AM on 03/09/2013

We really aren't number one regarding this issue. Gun deaths, on the other hand...

[SkreetGil1]

11:33 PM on 03/08/2013

Scandinavian countries are always the top countries.

They've got it together.

[plh48]

08:02 PM on 03/14/2013

I don't call have the highest number of unwed birth rates, which the Scandinavian, countries have, as having it together. I wonder if there are any father figures for these kids.

[SkreetGil1]

08:38 PM on 03/14/2013

So?  Who cares if they're not married?
You don't have to get "married" to have a committed relationship.
50% + of married people get divorced anyway, so what?
They take care of their women and children.  And that's what matters.
The reports say "The report didn’t look at cohabitation rates." either.

[Purple Shell]

11:50 PM on 03/23/2013

Where did you get this information? I have never heard this.

[JaneMoth]

06:00 PM on 03/08/2013

Norway... always the best!

[Veronica Falcon Kirk]

06:24 PM on 03/07/2013

Im not agree at all!!! Most of those country are not child friendly at all!!!! BRAZIL IS THE BEST.

[dbrockskk1]

07:00 PM on 03/14/2013

"don't agree" "countries".

[yvettesuniverse]

05:25 AM on 03/15/2013

i'm curious to know how most of the countries listed are not child friendly & brazil is...

[hope]

08:42 AM on 03/04/2013

still-

i've always felt to best place to be a mom,

is wherever my children are.

[larashia]

08:37 AM on 03/04/2013

Are you kidding me? The article should specify that these ratings only pertain to wanted children without disabilites. Most children with disabilities get very little, if anything, in the way of education or therapy in Eastern Europe and Russia. They are lucky if they are not abused and shut away in institutions, which is also common in those countries.

[JaneMoth]

05:59 PM on 03/08/2013

Another reason why my mother took me out of Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union. All hell broke loose and as you can see now with so many problems why it is a horrible place to be a mother.