GCC infant mortality rate lowest in Arab world

GCC countries have the unique distinction of registering the lowest infant mortality rate in the Arab world and the highest life expectancy rate averaging 74.38 years, with women outliving men by a mean average ratio of 4.5 years, according to a recent United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) report.

Titled "The State of World Population 2002 - People, Poverty and Possibilities," the report encapsulates the various steps taken by the developed and developing countries to fulfil the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) target of cutting in half the number of people living in absolute poverty by 2015. The millennium meet was a sequel to the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), where nations committed themselves to the goal of universal access to reproductive health by the year 2015.

It is amply clear from the country-wise statistics provided in the report's 'Monitoring ICPD Goals - Selected Indicators' section that the policies of the six Gulf countries are on a sound footing and their achievements are highly commendable. The report shows that in controlling the rate of infant mortality, illiteracy and improving health facilities, GCC figures are head and shoulders above Africa, East Europe, South and Central America and most countries in Asia.

Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, besides the U.S. and Western Europe are some of the few countries that are marginally ahead of the GCC.