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In Ukraine, 83% of children feel happy
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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This was announced today by the Ukrainian Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights, Yuriy Pavlenko, presenting the results of the first sociological survey of children in Ukraine as part of the project "Children's Rights in Ukraine: Realities and Challenges after 20 Years of Independence."
According to him, higher ratings are typical for respondents aged 10-13 and residents of villages.
“Among 16-17 year old children, 23% do not consider themselves happy; among residents of regional centers, the proportion of such children is 20%, that is, urbanization and adolescence are significant factors in the formation of a lack of happiness in children,” noted Yu. Pavlenko.
Referring to the opinion of experts, the Presidential Commissioner noted that satisfaction with different areas of life is one of the main factors in feeling happy.
“The majority of children - 90%, who noted satisfaction with individual areas of life, in particular the financial situation of the family, housing conditions, their clothing, nutrition, health, attitude towards themselves in the family and in the educational institution, the opportunity to freely express their opinion and the availability of necessary information, noted that they feel happy,” noted Yu. Pavlenko.
He also stressed that overall 26% of children indicated that they were satisfied with all major areas of their lives, 21% of respondents did not consider themselves happy, and another 39% of children were unable to determine whether they felt happy.
"The study showed that the level of satisfaction of the child decreases with age. The highest dissatisfaction was revealed by residents of regional centers. It is interesting that the level of satisfaction regarding the availability of necessary information, quality and level of knowledge received, almost does not differ by the type of settlement," noted Yu. Pavlenko.
The first sociological survey of children in Ukraine - within the framework of the project “Children's Rights in Ukraine: Realities and Challenges after 20 Years of Independence” - was conducted from April 15 to 30, 2012 with the aim of determining the real state of ensuring children's rights in Ukraine.
During the study, 4,083 children were interviewed – students in grades 5–11 of comprehensive schools, first- and second-year students of vocational schools and universities of accreditation levels I–II (based on 9-year education), first-year students of universities of accreditation levels I–II (based on 11-year education), and first-year students of universities of accreditation levels III–IV.
The method of obtaining information was self-completion of a questionnaire in classrooms, using an individual envelope for each respondent. The database also included responses from 107 children aged 16–17 who were not studying or working. They were interviewed individually (“face to face”).
The study was conducted by the Ukrainian Institute of Social Research named after Oleksandr Yaremenko by order of the Commissioner of the President of Ukraine for Children's Rights with the technical support of the Rinat Akhmetov Charitable Foundation "Development of Ukraine" and the Representative Office of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Ukraine.