Nairobi — MORE THAN ANY OTHER time in Kenya's history, the promise of high economic growth has become a key factor in the campaigns of all the parties vying for the presidency in the upcoming elections.

The target of a 10 per cent economic growth rate within the next two decades has become the mantra of almost all the major parties.

This target is based on the assumption that rapid economic growth will not only raise people's incomes, but will automatically improve other aspects of their lives, such as life expectancy and literacy, which are used to determine levels of development in a country.

So it was surprising when a leading presidential candidate (who I will not name) said during a TV interview that Kenyans should start thinking about the country's Gross National Happiness.

The concept of Gross National Happiness was first mooted in 1972 by the king of Bhutan, Jigme Wangchuk, who declared that conventional development models dominated by GDP and unrestrained economic growth were neither sustainable nor desirable.

Bhutan, a tiny land-locked kingdom in the Himalayas, has a largely rural economy and is rated by the United Nations as being at par with Pakistan and Ghana in terms of human development. But it has a rich tradition of Buddhism that stresses the sanctity of life, compassion, respect for nature and social harmony.

Bhutan's National Human Development Report 2000 states that the country's development plans are geared not so much towards increasing economic growth, but towards "enriching people's lives, improving their standard of living, and augmenting people's economic, spiritual and emotional well-being".

The four key pillars of Bhutan's version of Gross National Happiness are: promotion of equitable and sustainable socio-economic development; preservation and promotion of cultural values; conservation of the natural environment; and establishment of good governance.

But how does a country measure its level of happiness or spiritual and emotional well-being?

The truth is, measuring happiness has remained an elusive quest for decades. Most studies on happiness are conducted using self-reporting techniques, which are highly subjective.

Newer studies try to use proxy indicators, such as education, income, nutrition, gender equality, freedom from fear and violence, among others, to gauge levels of contentment and happiness among individuals. But these studies remain inconclusive.

For instance, many studies show that married people are generally happier than singles, but having children does not necessarily raise happiness levels - in fact, many married women suffer from severe depression after birth.

THE CORRELATION BETWEEN wealth and happiness is also murky. While some studies show that people in rich countries tend to be happier, others show that while wealth is important, it is not the only determinant of whether or not people will be content with their lives. Income matters, but inequality matters more to most people.

So, if everyone generally enjoys more or less the same income, they are likely to be happier than those whose incomes are different from those around them.

Concerns about inequality are also being taken seriously by countries experiencing staggeringly high economic growth rates, such as China.

In 2006, alarmed by the rising levels of inequality between rural and urban areas, the Chinese government endorsed the doctrine of "building a harmonious society" that emphasises regional balance, social equity, justice and cultural harmony.

While recognising that wealth creation is important for meeting the basic needs of society, the Chinese government is also aware that disparities within a nation can be the cause of social disharmony.

Are the Bhutanese and the Chinese on to something? Apparently so. Canada and other countries are already factoring in happiness in their planning, and last week, an international conference on Gross Domestic Happiness was held in Bangkok.

The aim of the conference was to encourage policymakers to look beyond economic development in their planning and to examine the various ways in which governments can boost national happiness levels.

Cynics will no doubt question whether happiness can be determined by public policies. After all, is happiness not a subjective feeling that depends on mood, time of month, relationships and all those intangibles that cannot be measured or controlled?

Apparently, many psychologists and sociologists are beginning to think not.

More and more studies are finding that people who work part-time, control their own lives, do volunteer work and are part of community organisations appear to be happier than those who do none of these things. Levels of contentment are related to activities that give meaning to our lives, not to how much we earn.

Unfortunately, these are the very activities that can slow down productivity and decrease economic growth rates, which just goes to prove that money alone will not buy you happiness.

Ms Warah is currently an editor with the UN. The views expressed here are her own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the UN.