SINGAPORE, May 15, 2001: Singapore ranks first in Asia and 16th worldwide when it comes to meeting the needs of mothers, according to the second annual report of a US-based, non-profit organization, Save the Children. Called State of the World’s Mothers, the report was released on the eve of Mother’s Day this year. The needs identified on the Mothers’ Index included health care, contraceptive use and literacy rates of women. The index also takes into consideration infant-mortality rates, nutritional status and primary-school enrollment among children. Sweden topped the list of 94 countries ranked, while Guinea Bissau, an independent state in West Africa, was at the bottom. Singapore comes in ninth on a global basis when it comes to the quality of life that its young female citizens have as measured by the Girls’ Investment Index. It is first again in Asia. On this index, Singapore fared better than Switzerland and the United States, which were ranked 18th and 22nd respectively. Sweden and Finland were joint firsts among the 140 countries ranked; Niger was last. The set of 12 indicators included education, health care and medical facilities available to women during childbirth.
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