The week in review

This week was an exceptionally large week in the progress world, with the release of the 2011 Global Peace Index and Your Better Life Index. See a round-up of news items and blog posts on the week that was.

On progress

2011 Global Peace Index (25.05.2011)

The 2011 Global Peace Index (GPI), released on Wednesday by the Institute for Economics and Peace, shows that the world is less peaceful for the third consecutive year. According to the GPI, levels of peacefulness in 2011 were most impacted by the threat of terrorist attack and the likelihood of violent demonstrations.

The GPI uses 23 indicators to rank 153 countries, gauging both domestic and international conflict, safety, security and militarisation.

See the Global Peace Index 2011 for full details and scores.

See the Wikiprogress article for more about the GPI and see the 2011 GPI media review for all news items on the index.

Your Better Life Index (24.05.2011)

The OECD launched Your Better Life Index on Tuesday as part of the Organisation’s 50^th anniversary celebrations. This interactive index allows users to compare well-being across 34 nations based on 11 key dimensions: housing, income, jobs, community, education, environment, governance, health, life satisfaction, safety and work-life balance.

See Your Better Life Index and rate your country according to the elements of well-being you feel are important. See the Wikiprogress Better Life Index media review for all news items on the index.


The Economist Online debate on Happiness (The Economist 27.05.2011)
All week The Economist online has been debating the motion "This house believes that new measures of economic and social progress are needed for the 21st-century economy". Defending the motion: Richard Laylard. Against: Paul Ormerod. Results have just been announced: 83% voted YES, 17% voted NO.

On gender equality

First Woman Speaker of Parliament Changing Politics (IPS 24.05.2011)

At the end of last week, Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga made history by becoming the first female speaker of Uganda’s parliament. One of her first actions as speaker will be to ensure the Parliament enacts the Marriage and Divorce Bill 2009 into law, which has been under consideration for the last 40 years.

See more on access to property 

That's all from us this week. We hope to see you back here this time next week for another round up of highlights in the weekly review. 

Yours in progress,

Philippa Lysaght