By Victor Kholodov
Belarus ahead of Russia and Ukraine in the Social Progress Index-2014
Belarus outstrips many countries in the rating
According to a report which is available on the website of the Social Progress Imperative analytical project, Belarus is ranked 58th in the Social Progress Index-2014, while Russia is placed 80th and Ukraine occupies 62nd place.
Moreover, Belarus is ranked higher than such post-Soviet states as Armenia (60th), Azerbaijan (73rd), Moldova (81st), Kazakhstan (86th), Uzbekistan (92nd), Kyrgyzstan (93rd), and Tajikistan (95th). Belarus is also placed higher than China (90th). Estonia is ranked 19th while Latvia is 31st and Lithuania is 33rd.
The ranking takes into account such basic needs as food, access to water, healthcare, and personal security. Apart from that, the ranking draws attention to access to basic knowledge, information resources and communications and ecology.
According to the report, Belarus boasts a low level of maternal and infant mortality, as well as a good level of literacy among adults and there are no problems with religious tolerance in Belarus.
The first ranking was published in Oxford last year, covering 50 countries. This year, the ranking includes 132 nations. Professor Michael Porter, of Harvard Business School, is the Chair of the Social Progress Imperative’s Advisory Board. It also comprises specialists from the USA, Peru, Great Britain, Italy and other countries.
