The United Nations (UN) International Day of Happiness is annually observed across the globe on 20 March to recognise the significance of well-being and happiness in people’s lives globally and advocate for inclusive, equitable, and balanced economic growth.
- The Day also promotes sustainable development and poverty eradication and emphasises the well-being of all individuals.
The theme of International Day of Happiness 2024 is ‘Happier Together.’
Purpose: The purpose of this day is to remind people around the world of the importance of happiness, a fundamental human right and goal in their lives.
Background:
i.In 2012, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution (A/RES/66/281) and proclaimed the 20 March of every year as the International Day of Happiness.
- The resolution was adopted by all 193 UN member states.
ii.The resolution was initiated by Bhutan, which recognised the value of national happiness over national income since the early 1970s and adopted the goal of Gross National Happiness (GNH) over Gross National Product (GNP).
iii.The first-ever International Day of Happiness was observed on 20 March 2013.
World Happiness Report (WHR) 2024:
According to the World Happiness Report (WHR) 2024, Finland has been named the World’s happiest country for the 7th consecutive time. Finland is followed by Denmark, Iceland, Sweden and Israel.
- India has maintained its rank at 126th (out of 146 countries), which indicates low levels of happiness.
- WHR 2024 is the 12th edition of the annual report that ranks global happiness in more than 140 countries around the world.
About WHR:
i.The WHR is released annually in commemoration of the International Day of Happiness on March 20th.
ii.The report is a collaborative initiative involving organisations such as the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, Gallup, Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, and the WHR’s Editorial Board.
iii.The 1st WHR report was published in 2012.
Note:
- From 2024, WHR is a publication of the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom (UK).
- The report is produced under the editorial control of the WHR Editorial Board.
Methodology:
i.6 Key Factors: The report evaluates happiness based on 6 primary factors: Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and corruption.
ii.Countries are ranked on happiness based on their average self-assessed life evaluations over the 3 preceding years, from 2021-2023.
iii.The 2024 report is the first to include separate rankings by age group, in many cases varying widely from the overall rankings.
Top 3 Happiest & Unhappiest countries:
| Rank | Country |
|---|---|
| Top 3 Happiest Countries | |
| 1 | Finland |
| 2 | Denmark |
| 3 | Iceland |
| Top 3 Unhappiest Countries | |
| 143 | Afghanistan |
| 142 | Lebanon |
| 141 | Lesotho |
