A Clustering Approach to Comparing Children’s Wellbeing Across Countries

Comparing children’s wellbeing across countries has been a growing interest over the last two decades. The ranking method is frequently used to compare nations in a league table. While this provides an easy means of comparison, it may also conceal other, more specific information. As a complement to the ranking method, the cluster analysis approach classifies countries into groups by distinguishing their similarities and differences based on the dimensions which define children’s wellbeing. Extending beyond ranking to clustering, this alternative approach may enhance a broader understanding of comparative child wellbeing and facilitate more possibilities for future research. Based on the data in the latest report on children’s wellbeing published by United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in 2013, this study demonstrates the use of clustering approach as a complement to the ranking method in comparing the wellbeing of children across countries.