UAE Names Its First Minister For ‘Happiness’ & ‘Tolerance’

When you thought politicians and politics couldn’t be cool and innovative, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) proved everyone wrong. The Prime Minister of UAE, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, on Wednesday, 10th February, announced that the country will have its one of a kind minister of ‘Happiness’ and ‘Tolerance’.

Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi was chosen as minister for happiness and Lubna bint Khaled al Qasimi has been appointed as the minister for tolerance.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai, said on Twitter that the new configuration is focused on the future, youth and happiness, the development of education and protecting the environment. Mohammed tweeted that the post of Ministry for Happiness will "align and drive government policy to create social good and satisfaction." He further wrote on his Twitter page, "National happiness isn't a wish. Plans, projects, programmes, indices will inform the work of our ministries to achieve happiness”.

Along with her roles in the UAE, the United Nations Foundation selected Al Roumi last year to be a member of its Global Entrepreneurship Council. She is the first Arab member of the body.

The decision has been both flaked and praised in social media, with netizens having polarizing and varied thoughts on the decision.

This is not the first time that country has made such a move. In 2013, Venezuela's president Nicolas Maduro created a vice ministry of supreme social happiness position. Maduro said the name was given to honor Hugo Chavez, who created programs to alleviate poverty in the country. Maduro said that the position aimed to take care of the most "sublime, vulnerable and delicate, to those who are most loved by anyone who calls themselves a revolutionary, a Christian and Chavista," the Associated Press reported.

UAE, which is the 6th richest country in the world, was ranked at number 20 on the World Happiness Report in 2015, which was topped by Switzerland. The Vision 2021 plan of UAE states, "The National Agenda aims for the UAE to be among the best in the world in the Human Development Index and to be the happiest of all nations so that its citizens feel proud to belong to the UAE”.

Whatever the outcome result may be, but the appointment of two women for a novel political position in a Muslim country speaks volumes for how rapidly UAE is adapting to the modernity and trying to break away from the patriarchy.