The Government set fresh benchmarks on Sunday that will improve happiness in several aspects of daily life. At the beginning of the second annual Innovation Week, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, announced that five sectors of the Government have been given new targets in an effort to improve performance and daily life. The sectors are Emiratisation, security, economy, environment and education. The benchmarks are ambitious and should rightly be seen as designed to kick-start plans to accelerate happiness across society.
The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment has been instructed to dramatically reduce emissions by cars in 100 days, while the Ministry of Education will be required to ensure 100 per cent kindergarten enrolment within 90 days. For the Ministry of Finance, the target is to significantly raise the number of patent applications in three months. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation will need to generate 1,000 jobs for Emiratis in 75 days and the Ministry of Interior has been tasked with reducing fatalities at five notorious traffic black spots.
Coupled with the creation of the Ministry of Happiness and a Minister of State for Happiness, these targets will entrench the Government’s happiness agenda with verifiable targets. While some targets, such as the reduction of traffic fatalities and creation of new Emirati jobs, are continuations of existing programmes for social change, others reflect long-term thinking concerning the general quality of life. Improving air quality, for example, is an ambitious task that will require significant investment and time to become a reality. But as the saying goes, a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.
The process of realising happiness goals is not an easy one. Officials must recognise challenges where they exist and respond with clear methods to overcome them. The basket of new pledges that Sheikh Mohammed has announced is a recognition of the challenges ahead and a call to action for all sectors of society to work towards the goal of happiness. With better efficiency, increased employment, safer roads, improved air quality and more patent applications, the effects of the happiness campaign will pay dividends in a short time. Together we are building momentum that will propel the happiness project forward.
