On Wednesday 11 June, the Netherlands-based KidsRights Foundation unveiled the 13th edition of the KidsRights Index, the world’s only annual global ranking that measures how nations respect and realise children’s rights. The 2025 edition paints a sobering picture of a growing mental health emergency among youth, calling for urgent coordinated global action.
A generation in distress
Produced in cooperation with Erasmus School of Economics and the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University Rotterdam, the KidsRights Index 2025 reveals a devastating truth: the world is in the grip of a worsening mental health crisis among its youngest generation.
More than 14 percent of children and adolescents aged 10–19 are experiencing mental health issues. Yet these figures may only scratch the surface. Due to stigma and systemic underreporting, the real scope is feared to be much greater.
Suicide has become the third leading cause of death among youth aged 15 to 29, a staggering statistic underscoring just how deep the crisis runs.
The digital dilemma
A major concern raised in the report is the link between social media use and deteriorating mental health. From 2018 to 2022, problematic social media use among adolescents rose dramatically (from 7% to 11%) in 44 countries across Europe, Central Asia, and Canada.
This trend is not without consequence. A surge in suicide attempts among youth has been linked directly to excessive internet and social media use, with studies across Turkiye, Austria, Korea, and Australia pointing to a dangerous correlation. In Europe, 13% of 13-year-olds are already exhibiting signs of problematic social media behavior.
Winners and losers in the KidsRights Index
While the report's thematic focus is on mental health and the digital world, it also tracks how countries are performing across five child rights domains. Greece, Iceland, Luxembourg, and Germany retained their top-tier rankings.
Meanwhile, Lithuania surged an unprecedented 92 places, driven by new policies strengthening the enabling environment for children. At the very bottom sits Afghanistan, now the lowest-ranked country for children's rights, replacing Chad.
The Netherlands has dropped out of the top 20 for the first time (21st this year, down from 19 last year).
About the KidsRights Index
Initiated by the KidsRights Foundation in Amsterdam, and powered by the academic rigor of Erasmus School of Economics and the ISS, the Index evaluates countries on five domains: Right to Life, Right to Health, Right to Education, Right to Protection, and Enabling Environment for Child Rights.
- More information
Click here for the full 2025 KidsRights Index and methodology.
For more information, please contact Ronald de Groot, Media & Public Relations Officer at Erasmus School of Economics: rdegroot@ese.eur.nl, +31 653 641 846.
