Children in UAE, Gulf countries treated with more dignity, respect, reveals global survey

According to GCC residents, children in the region have more opportunities to learn and grow than in other developed countries

Waheed Abbas

Published: Thu 12 Sep 2024, 8:00 AM

Last updated: Thu 12 Sep 2024, 8:42 PM

Children in the UAE and other Gulf countries are treated with more dignity and enjoy better opportunities to learn and grow than many other developed countries around the world, according to a new global survey released on Thursday.

Published by Gallup, the Welfare Check on the World’s Children study found that when it comes to believing that children in their country are treated with respect and dignity, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and UAE were ranked first, second and fifth globally, respectively.

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Around 97 per cent of people in Saudi Arabia, 96 per cent in Kuwait, and 93 per cent in UAE believe that children are treated with dignity and respect, more than developed countries like Ireland, Luxembourg, Singapore, and Switzerland among others.

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“Across a large number of GCC countries, we’re seeing nations deliver exceptional lives for their children and youth. Hand in hand with this is unparalleled levels of hope for the future in those same countries. Investment in youth not only delivers better prospects for the children themselves but imbues broader society with a belief in a brighter future,” said Andrew Rzepa, executive director of Gallup's global analytics division in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Gallup said Gulf countries have historically ranked relatively high on these metrics, but Saudi Arabia’s improving trends reinforce how deliberate and measurable investments in children’s welfare can play a role in shaping the public’s perceptions.

Countries in Latin America dominate the bottom of the list with just over one in three or fewer residents of Venezuela, Bolivia, Brazil, Honduras, Argentina and Peru saying children in their countries are treated with respect and dignity.

According to Gulf residents, children in the region have more opportunities to learn and grow than in other developed countries.

The median survey results in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries for ‘children learn and grow’ was 84 per cent, compared to 92 per cent for UAE and Saudi, and 95 per cent for Kuwait.

The countries where people are most and least likely to believe children have the opportunity to learn and grow do not necessarily mirror those on the 'respect and dignity' list.

In reply to a query about what Gulf countries can do more to improve children’s welfare, Andrew Rzepa suggested that there is a connection between childhood well-being and predicting happiness later in life.

“The recent World Happiness report noted that wellbeing and emotional health in childhood are the best predictors of happiness in later life. Investing in the children of today – particularly in their education – is therefore part of investing in the future tomorrow. In Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, satisfaction with the educational system is higher today than a decade ago,” he added.

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