Romania ranks 45th among the 163 countries included in the 2020 Social Progress Index, which analyzes the quality of life and social wellbeing.

The index was compiled by the non-profit organization Social Progress Imperative with the support of Deloitte.

Romania registered a score of 78.35 points out of 100, slightly higher than last year. It is the Tier 3 category of the Index, alongside Croatia, Hungary, and Bulgaria, which all scored slightly higher. It recorded the lowest score among EU member states.

In the global ranking, Romania is in the top 50 countries in two of the three analyzed categories, basic needs (45th place) and opportunities (49th place), while in the wellbeing category, it ranks 57th. 

Romania had the best scores on personal safety (36th place), personal rights (46th place), access to advanced education (49th place), and access to communications and information (49th place). It recorded lower scores on inclusiveness (91st place), shelter (90th place), and health and wellness (85th place).

In 2020, Norway, Denmark, and Finland take up the first places in the ranking, while the Central African Republic, Chad, and South Sudan are in the last positions.

Among the Central and Eastern Europe countries, Slovenia takes up the highest place (22), followed by Estonia (24), the Czech Republic (25), Poland (31), Lithuania (32), Latvia (35), Slovakia (36), Croatia (39), Hungary (40), Bulgaria (43) and Romania (45).

Romania’s scorecard is available here. The 2020 Social Progress Index Results table is here. 

Last year, Romania ranked 45th among 149 nations included in the Index.

The Social Progress Index (SPI) measures the quality of life and social wellbeing of citizens from 163 countries, based on the analysis of three main dimensions. The methodology consists of assigning a score for basic needs category items - nutrition and basic medical care, water and sanitation, shelter and personal safety -, for wellbeing category items - access to basic knowledge, access to information and communications, health and wellness, environmental quality - and for opportunities category - personal rights, personal freedom and choice, inclusiveness, access to advanced education. Based on the score, the countries in the ranking are grouped into six tiers arranged in descending order.

“The study points out that, in the absence of immediate measures which can contribute to a sustainable recovery of the world economy, the Covid-19 pandemic threatens to set social progress back by ten years. In Romania’s case, the current crisis emerged right after the best economic year recorded in our country’s history, 2019, which leads to the fact that its effects, which are already visible in indicators such as unemployment or economic decline, are not yet obvious in the social progress index, whose level is slightly higher than last year. Nevertheless, the threat of regression which is lying upon the entire world is also valid for us,” Alexandru Reff, Country Managing Partner, Deloitte Romania and Moldova, said.

(Photo: Kotist | Dreamstime.com)

simona@romania-insider.com