Happiness Initiative | Community Health

The happiness initiative is a global movement that seeks to prioritize well-being and happiness in policy-making, inspired by Bhutan's Gross National Happiness (GNH) philosophy. GNH, instituted in Bhutan's Constitution in 2008, aims to measure a population's collective happiness and well-being through an index. However, critics argue that GNH has been used as a propaganda tool to distract from human rights abuses and ethnic cleansing in Bhutan. Despite this, the concept of GNH has inspired a global movement, with organizations such as the [[united-nations|United Nations]] and the [[world-health-organization|World Health Organization]] incorporating happiness and well-being into their policies. The happiness initiative has also been adopted by cities and countries around the world, including [[costa-rica|Costa Rica]] and [[iceland|Iceland]], which have implemented policies to promote sustainable development and well-being. With a growing body of research on the importance of happiness and well-being, the happiness initiative is becoming an increasingly important aspect of public health policy. As of 2022, over 40 countries have incorporated happiness and well-being into their policy-making, with a focus on sustainable development, social justice, and human rights. The happiness initiative has the potential to revolutionize the way we think about policy-making, prioritizing the well-being of citizens and the planet above economic growth alone.