Measuring human wellbeing in Pakistan: objective versus subjective indicators

The concern for measuring wellbeing objectively and subjectively is found in modern political philosophy. This study explores objective indicators versus subjective perceptions of human wellbeing in ranking of survey data for districts of Pakistan. Data used for the analysis is ‘The Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement Survey’ for the year 2006-07. The human wellbeing is examined in four domains: education, health, living conditions and economic situation. Principal component analysis is employed for indexing human wellbeing for hundred districts, rated in five quintiles are generated. The paper demonstrates the importance of education domain in determining the human wellbeing. Objective indicators of education: literacy rate, net primary enrolment and gender equality in education are positively correlated with subjective satisfaction in education facilities. Economic status of the households and communities are important variables in subjective perception of wellbeing. The results indicate substantial variation in objective wellbeing among districts of Pakistan It may be considered that disparity in objective condition and in subjective perceptions are adequately depicting wellbeing differences.