Khaama Press, March 16, 2016

Afghanistan among 10 least happy countries in World Happiness Report Update 2016

According to the report, there is a growing global interest in using happiness and subjective well-being as primary indicators of the quality of human development

By Zabihullah Moosakhail

Afghanistan has been put in the ten least happy countries in a report released by Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) in Rome ahead of the United Nations International Day of Happiness which is going to be celebrated on 20th March.

The other nine countries are Madagascar, Tanzania, Liberia, Guinea, Rwanda, Benin, Togo, Syria and Burundi.

The report which covers last three years of 156 countries by their happiness levels shows that the top 10 countries are Denmark, Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, Finland, Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand, Australia and Sweden.

According to the report, there is a growing global interest in using happiness and subjective well-being as primary indicators of the quality of human development and that because of this growing interest, many governments, communities and organizations are using happiness data, and the results of subjective well-being research, to enable policies that support better lives.

“Measuring self-reported happiness and achieving well-being should be on every nation’s agenda as they begin to pursue the Sustainable Development Goals,” said Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University.

“Indeed the Goals themselves embody the very idea that human well-being should be nurtured through a holistic approach that combines economic, social and environmental objectives. Rather than taking a narrow approach focused solely on economic growth, we should promote societies that are prosperous, just, and environmentally sustainable.”

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