UNICEF: Afghanistan Worst Place to Be Born

By: Sean Alfano
Topics: World Watch

(AP Photo/Allauddin Khan)

Eight years after a U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan, the country ranks as the worst place to be born, according to a United Nations report.

The United Nation's Children's Fund, better known as UNICEF, says Afghanistan has the highest infant mortality rate in the world with 257 deaths per 1,000 live births, and 70 percent of Afghans have access to clean water.

The nation is especially dangerous for girls, the agency reported as part of its annual State of the World's Children report.

Up to 43 percent of the country is off-limits to agencies seeking to provide aid, UNICEF's regional director for South Asia, Daniel Toole, told Reuters.

"Afghanistan today is without a doubt the most dangerous place to be born," Toole said.

Click here to read the full report (pdf)

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by worldcitizen1 November 25, 2009 8:14 PM EST: Imagine spending the coat of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan , on health care,security and infrastructure in the US, we would have saved millions of lives, compared to the potentially few unknown loses by "terrorism". But there is more money to be made by the "military industrial complex" by war.; Reply to this comment


by PENWEL November 21, 2009 2:18 AM EST: UNICEF, A UNITED NATIONS CHILDRENS FUND TELLS US AFGAHANISTAN IS THE WORST PLACE TO BE BORN IN, AND ESPECIALLY, WORST FOR GIRLS. IT IS A CRIME UNIMAGINABLE, A COUNTRY IN A MODERN WORLD TODAY, TO BE SO BACK'WARDS IN TIME, THAT HUMAN VALUES ARE STILL IN THE STONE'AGE. BY MY PERSPECTIVE, I WOULD SAY, AFGAHANISTAN IS A WORSE PLACE TO DIE IN TOO. FOR OUR SOLDIERS GOING OVER THERE TO TRY AND CIVILIZE THE COUNTRY WITH LOSS OF THEIR OWN LIVES. IN AN ENDLESS WAR THAT ONLY
MAKES A BAD SITUATION WORSE. THERE IS NO GOVERNMENT, AND NO CIVILIZED
LEADERS WITH HUMAN VALUES, TO BRING AFGAHANISTAN UP TO MODERN TIMES, WHICH BY ALL COMMON'SENSE OBSERVATION AND REASONING, WILL NEVER HAPPEN IN OUR TIME. I BELIEVE AMERICA SHOULD GET OUT OF THAT FOOLS'WAR AND TRY TO AID THE PEOPLE IN A MORE HUMANITARIAN WAY THAN WAR. IF THAT BE POSSIBLE IN A MODERN DAY WORLD WHERE WAR IS A PROFITABLE GARBAGE DUMP TO EXPLOIT. THE INNOCENT PEOPLE OF AFGAHANISTAN DESERVE MORE THAN BOMBS AND DEATH BY UFOs FROM THE SKIES OF MARS. AMERICA DOESN'T SHOW MUCH UPBRINGING, MUCH LEADERSHIP,MUCH MODERN THINKING, HARMING INNOCENT WOMEN AND CHILDERN 2,OOO MILES FROM AMERICAN SHORES. IS AMERICA CIVILIZED? I DOUBT IT!...; Reply to this comment


by decotoguy November 20, 2009 10:29 PM EST: I just can't understand what is the problem with these ingrates,The Great
United States of America is there to bring PEACE and GOODWILL,free
eduation for every girl and boy,freedom of religion,DEMOCRACY.....
Hell Fire,in a few short months a quarter of a MILLON American Soldiers
will make Quick work of removing those anti-social elements from the
Afghanistan landscape.OOH righty,yesum.; Reply to this comment


by TexanforPeace November 20, 2009 6:31 PM EST: The US is spending approximately $48 billion on the occupation, nearly twice the entire GDP of Afghanistan....but with little "progress". Such is what happens when the military is put in charge of things. If you want to change things, stop letting the DoD drive foreign policy strategy.; Reply to this comment


by mnbrant November 20, 2009 4:17 PM EST: Hmm, I added up what we spent in Afghanistan and it was basically enough to pay the yearly salary of every man, woman, and child for 9 years. Of course that is just the average citizen. I don't know how much warlords cost never having bought one and Wiki didn't mention it.; Reply to this comment


by RedWings_ninety_one November 20, 2009 2:41 PM EST: I wouldn't doubt that fact (Afghanistan being the worst place to be born). Not only the medical care, but the Taliban, and Al Queda. It's kind of like being a KKK member in Detroit. I am not, nor would I ever be KKK, but I was using that as an example.; Reply to this comment