Kota Kinabalu: The newly-released Sabah Child Wellbeing Index (SCWI) has provided a comprehensive picture of how children in Sabah are growing, learning and living, highlighting both progress achieved and areas requiring greater attention.
Developed through a collaboration between Unicef and the Sabah Government’s Unit Perancang Ekonomi Negeri (UPEN), the index examines children’s wellbeing beyond household income by assessing six key domains: health, nutrition, learning, play and rest, participation, and safe and enabling environments.
Advertisement
.gif)
The findings are expected to guide future planning and investment decisions, helping policymakers strengthen programmes and services to support children across Sabah.
The SCWI adopts a participatory approach, involving children, caregivers, government agencies and key civil society organisations through focus group discussions to better understand what wellbeing means within the Sabah context.
The process informed the identification of six wellbeing domains and 37 indicators, ensuring the index reflects the lived realities and experiences of children throughout the state.
Unicef Representative in Malaysia, Robert Gass, said the study provides a clearer understanding of the different factors influencing children’s daily lives and overall wellbeing.
“This study paints a picture of how children in Sabah experience their daily lives across different aspects of wellbeing.
“By helping us understand these interconnected experiences, this index can support more inclusive responses, especially for those most at risk of being left behind,” he said.
The SCWI findings showed varying levels of progress across different aspects of children’s wellbeing.
Among the six domains measured, the strongest performance was recorded in children’s sense of connection and participation, with 61.6 per cent of children meeting the indicators under the domain, “Am I connected and do I have a voice?”
The health domain followed, with 55.9 per cent of children meeting the indicators, reflecting access to basic health-related support and services.
However, challenges remain in several important areas affecting children’s development and quality of life.
Only 6.1 per cent of children met indicators related to living in a safe and harmonious environment, highlighting concerns over safe living conditions, protection and supportive surroundings.
The findings also showed gaps in other areas, with 30.6 per cent of children meeting indicators under the domain “Am I growing well?”, while 27.2 per cent met indicators related to learning opportunities.
For play and rest, 32.6 per cent of children met the relevant indicators, suggesting a need for greater attention to ensuring children have adequate opportunities for recreation, development and wellbeing.
The study also identified several key challenges affecting children in Sabah, including access to nutritious food, reliable internet connectivity, adolescent health support and safe environments.
Almost one in four children were found to be not fully immunised, while fewer than one-third of adolescents aged 15 to 17 met benchmarks for sexual and reproductive health, including access to information, services and trusted support.
In terms of nutrition and development, fewer than one-third of children met growth and development thresholds, with many consuming limited amounts of fruits and vegetables.
Digital access also remains a concern, with fewer than 35 per cent of children having sufficient access to digital devices and reliable internet, potentially limiting their ability to learn and participate online.
The index also captured children’s own perspectives, with some reporting limited opportunities for inclusive play, difficulties expressing their opinions freely and living environments that do not meet adequate housing standards.
Gass said the findings reflected the everyday experiences faced by children across Sabah.
“Behind every data point is a child growing up in Sabah, a child who may feel supported by family and community, but who may also face challenges in getting nutritious food, accessing reliable internet, feeling safe or having their voice heard.
“These findings remind us that support must be shaped around children’s lived realities, with a focus on those facing the greatest barriers,” he said.
The report further revealed differences across districts, with higher levels of deprivation recorded in certain areas.
Hard-to-reach districts such as Kudat experienced greater challenges, particularly in digital access and nutritious food consumption, while Tawau recorded more significant gaps in vaccination coverage.
Children with disabilities, as well as undocumented and stateless children, were identified as among the groups facing some of the widest wellbeing gaps due to persistent barriers in accessing essential services such as healthcare and education.
The study involved 4,441 children and caregivers across all five administrative divisions of Sabah, including children from underserved communities.
The SCWI is intended to serve as an evidence-based tool to guide planning and decision-making, ensuring stronger and more inclusive systems that reach every child in Sabah, regardless of background, legal status or location.
