60,000 babies born in India on New Year’s Day this year, highest in the world
India saw the highest number of births in the world on new year's day at nearly 60,000, much more than any other country. The number of births, however, is 7,390 less than 2020. According to estimates of UNICEF, India is followed by China with half as many births – 35,615 – on January 1 this year.
The Unicef, earlier estimated that 371,504 babies will be born across the world on this day. Of these, 52% of the births will take place in just 10 countries.
This year, 140 million children are likely to be born across the globe with an average life expectancy of 84 years.
"Globally, over half of these births are estimated to take place in 10 countries: India (59,995), China (35,615), Nigeria (21,439), Pakistan (14,161), Indonesia (12,336), Ethiopia (12,006), the US (10,312), Egypt (9,455), Bangladesh (9,236) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (8,640)," the UNICEF said in its report.
Recently, citing the COVID-19 pandemic, UNICEF launched the 'Reimagine campaign' to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic from becoming a lasting crisis for children.
"Under its Reimagine campaign, Unicef appeals to governments, private sector entities, donors and all partners to join hands and lay the groundwork for building back better, to assure every child’s right to survive and thrive is protected and promoted at all times," Hindustan Times quoted UNICEF India Country Representative Dr Yasmin Ali Haque as saying.
