DR Congo: The worst place in the world to be a mother.

The North Dallas Gazette reports

Save the Children report: 1 Million babies die the day they are born

WESTPORT, Conn. — A baby’s birth day is the most dangerous day of life— in the United States and almost every country in the world— according Save the Children’s State of the Worlds Mothers report, released this week.

More than 1 million babies die the day they are born yearly, according to the first global analysis of newborn day-of-death data.

In addition to new findings on newborn survival, the report also features Save the Children’s Mothers’ Index, released annually in the run-up to Mother’s Day. This year it ranks Finland as the best place in the world to be a mother, and Democratic Republic of the Congo as the toughest.

Alex Engwete takes issue with this but I find myself agreeing with the contention that the DR Congo is probably about the worst place in the world to be a mother. Where are you now Louise ?

" Louise Baseme, 28, arrived two weeks ago. She says she fled to save her baby's life. "

It is very hard to argue with that.

The United States ranks as the 30th best place to be a mother, just above Japan and South Korea but below all of Western Europe, Australia, Slovenia, Singapore, New Zealand, Estonia, Canada, Czech Republic, Israel, Belarus, Lithuania and Poland. The Mothers’ Index rankings are determined by five indicators on education, income, women’s political representation and the chances a mother and her baby will survive.

Hat Tip Alex Engwete