Out of the Shadows Index: India top South Asian nation in combating sexual violence against children

New Delhi: India has ranked in the top ten among 60 countries in the Out of the Shadows Index, that tracks countries on preparedness to combat sexual violence against children. The ranking is a global benchmark of national governments’ efforts to prevent and respond to sexual violence against children and adolescents, and developed by Economist Impact.

Australia was considered the safest country, scoring 83 out of 100 in the Index, followed by the United Kingdom (78), Germany and France (74), Canada, Sweden and Italy (71),and Colombia (70). The United States (67) and India (India) followed right after. It must be noted that no country scored higher than 83 out of 100.

India has ranked first among five countries in South Asia and first in its lower middle income classification. With 436.6 million children, India has 70.4 per cent of South East Asia’s total population under the age of 18. The only parameter India lagged in is governance and accountability.

According to the Out of the Shadows Index, 60 countries score an average of 52.6 out of 100 for their efforts in preventing and responding to sexual violence against children and adolescents, which points at a failing grade when it comes to keeping them safe.

The Index ranks 60 countries across 6 regions and aims to prevent and respond to sexual violence against children and adolescents. These 60 countries are home to 83 per cent of the world’s children. Key assessment areas of the Index lie across four main criteria – governance and accountability, prevention, healing, and justice.

As per the Index, in the Americas and the Caribbean, Canada emerged on top, and in East Asia and the Pacific, Australia performed better. In Eastern and Southern Africa and West and Central Africa, Kenya topped the list, while in Europe and Central Asia, United Kingdom was the best. In Middle East and North Africa, Egypt fared better than the rest.

“Every child has the right to grow up safe. Yet, sexual violence against children remains an urgent threat to children’s safety globally, with one in five girls and one in seven boys experiencing sexual violence before the age of 18. Despite the scale of the crisis, countries are falling dangerously short in protecting children,” a release from the Index stated.