USA! USA! We’re (Not) Number One in Caring for Mothers and Children
Last week, in “Women Should Be Mommies and Mommies Never Win,” I wrote about our society’s obsession with women’s reproduction. I reckoned that all this celebration of baby bumps did not reflect America’s true feelings about women and children:
It would almost make you think that our society’s genuflecting to motherhood is more surface than substance. Huh. Matter of fact, our short parental leave standards, absence of affordable childcare, attacks on reproductive healthcare for women, low-paid childcare providers, dwindling social services and cuts to education reveal a societal hypocrisy. We love a baby bump and a glowing celebrity mommy, but when that bump becomes a baby, that little sucker and its mama better be able to fend for themselves.
Now, I hate to say “I told you so…”
Last week, Save the Children released its annual State of the World’s Mothers Report. The United States failed to break the top 10 list of the best places to be a mother, which included the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium, Australia, Belgium, Finland, Denmark, New Zealand, Sweden, Iceland and Norway in the top spot. The United States sits at number 25, nestled between the Czech Republic and Belarus, on a list of roughly 173 countries.
The Mother’s Index incorporates both the Women’s and Children’s indexes.The Women’s Index is compiled, based on factors such as risk of maternal death, percentage of women using modern contraception, female life expectancy, expected number of years of formal female schooling, maternity leave benefits, ratio of expected male-to-female earned income, and participation of women in national government. The Children’s Index reviews child mortality and pre-primary and secondary school enrollment. Based on the child-related factors alone, the United States falls to 31.
America cannot claim, as Iceland can, that nearly every girl and boy in the country enjoys good health and access to good education. Nor can our 12-week (if you’re lucky) parental leave compare with Albania’s 365-day leave. Only 17 percent of governmental seats are held by women here and only 69 percent of children will get pre-primary school enrollment. In the industrialized world, the United States has the least favorable environment for mothers who want to breastfeed.
Let’s be real, American children are far better off than, say, children in Somalia, who face the greatest threat of death in the world. Mothers and children in many countries are struggling in ways that seem unthinkable in the United States. For instance, “malnutrition is an underlying cause of death for 2.6 million children each year,
and it leaves millions more with lifelong physical and mental impairments.
Worldwide, more than 170 million children do not have the opportunity to
reach their full potential because of poor nutrition in the earliest months of life.” There is a world of difference between this country and Niger, which ranks the worst country to be a mother–where an average girls gets four years of education and dies at 56.
But for a country that purports to be number one in all things, to settle for number 25 when it comes to the health and well-being of mothers and children is unfortunate. When placed against posturing about the sanctity of families and the glories of childbearing, it is downright offensive.
Organizations working to raise the quality of living worldwide have long said that when women do better, families do better–communities do better. And so, when we look at the development of the Global South, we look to the welfare of women and their children. But it would be arrogant and ultimately damaging to believe that while countries beyond the West need help, here in the U.S. of A., we have it all figured out. This country has a ways to go before we’re number one as far as women and children are concerned.
This is one time I am personally happy to see that the United States is NOT number one or even in the top ten.
Folks need to get this through their heads: We, the citizens of this country, do NOT want to support you and your offspring. YOU as their PARENTS (plural) should get married and do that ish yourself!
I’m willing to bet MARRIED women in the U.S. fare better than SINGLE MOTHERS in the U.S.
Mothers and their kids get foodstamps, healthcare, housing and WIC here…as far as I’m concerned that is still too much.
You want a better quality of life GET MARRIED, PURSUE EDUCATION and WORK HARD to better yourself….all in an effort to provide better for your children.
Im with toppin , there are alot of people that think they deserve hand outs ,why do I have to pay for your inability to take care of yourself and your child.
Toppin,
You may have overlooked this:
“The Mother’s Index incorporates both the Women’s and Children’s indexes.The Women’s Index is compiled, based on factors such as risk of maternal death, percentage of women using modern contraception, female life expectancy, expected number of years of formal female schooling, maternity leave benefits, ratio of expected male-to-female earned income, and participation of women in national government. The Children’s Index reviews child mortality and pre-primary and secondary school enrollment. Based on the child-related factors alone, the United States falls to 31.”
The full report is an interesting read, too. The factors reviewed have nothing to do with food stamps, WIC or other forms of welfare. Which one of the real criteria of the index makes you “happy to see that the United States is NOT number one or even in the top ten.” Are you against high female life expectancy? Schooling? Women participating in national government in ratios close to our population? Would you like the United States to have a higher child mortality rate?
I’m a little confused how your comments fit this article.
@Tami
I will take a look at the full report but I can tell you now I am against “Caring for Mothers and children” as the title of this article reads.
It’s always good to read past the headline to the content of the article, which defines what “care for” means in this sense.
Ensuring that countries have low risk of maternal death; a high percentage of women using modern contraception; long female life expectancy; formal schooling for girls and young women; adequate maternity leave benefits; good ratio of expected male-to-female earned income; and participation of women in national government helps to ensure that woman can, as you say, work hard, pursue education, better themselves and support their families.
Agree with both comments above. Work to provide for your kids. Get married with someone that understands you and knows what parenting means. Someone that is financially, spiritually,emotionaly and psycholigically fit to take care of children in case of a sudden pregnancy. I wonder where my country France fits in that list. I have to look it up.
Excellent article and rebuttal, Tami. I apologize on behalf of readers who actually read what you wrote above.
For having visited Sweden, I am not surprise to see it in the top 10 of the list. When I was there, I felt a sense of mommyhood all over. Mothers are treated like royalty and everything is done for them to enjoy some time off with their kids during and after pregnancy. Maternity leave is something that the Swedish take very seriously and it will be nice for all mothers to be able to enjoy some of the benefits that Swedish mothers have available to them without having to worry so much about work and health care.
Mothers are indeed so importand in a child’s life and do the bulk of the work when it comes to providing for their children. I am not saying that dads aren’t but mothers do play a huge role in a child’s life. At the end of the day, whether mothers get some government assistance to help them raise their kids or not, it is her responsibility to provide for them whether dad is in the picture or not.
In reference to the article, In my opinion, the reasons why women fair better in other countries is because women of those countries enjoy a less stressful life; they can enjoy motherhood; have excess to extensive maternity leave and vacation time; these countries focus on family values; and these countries are more financially stable than the US. Although, Im surprised that the UK made the top ten. In many cases, the UK mirrors the US.
oops, I did not mean for the above comment to be a reply to your comment
But in reply to your comment…I visisted Denmark. Mothers and fathers were so hands on, TOTALLY different than parenting styles in the US
@ExpatinSwiss. I have never visited Denmark but knowing that it is among the top 10 does not surprise me at all. It is proof that they are doing something better than France and the lower ranked countries mentioned. Mothers and fathers deserve so much and they should be able to get what they need to provide for their kids.
By the way, I have been to Geneva but I did not feel like moving there. How do you like it there? I am putting Denmark on my agenda for next year.
I live in the German part and I love it.
A few weeks ago, i watched something online that reported that ithe Swedish government is requiring parents to place their children in some form of daycare / preschool at 18 months and many are upset. It’s crazy… That’s a complete turn around from the Swedish way of life, in my opinion
@ExpatinSwiss. I was not aware of that. I can imagine how many must have felt. It it hard to let go of something that has been a way of life for so long. I would be upset too, especially if I want spend more time with my child.
I was in Geneva and eventhough I found it beautiful, I cannot imagine what my life would be there. Glad to know that you are enjoying your life there. Life away from the US is something that all AAW must experience at one point in life. I always tell that to my AA friends.