If This is What Equality Means You Can Keep It

The OECD has published it's 2012 Better Life Index, also known as the Happiness Index, ranking countries by the quality of life its inhabitants enjoy. The UK scored pretty well, coming 12th out of 37 countries, ahead of countries like Germany, France and Spain, who came 17th, 18th and 19th respectively, so all those people who left the UK for a better life might be a little disappointed.

Australia was ranked the happiest, good news for my lovely friend Lyndsey, who is emigrating to New South Wales in July (don't go, we'll miss you. I mean, what's happiness anyway?)

Looking at the data for the UK, it was interesting to see that women live longer,are better educated and happier than the men - although despite all the strides towards housework equality, women still do more than double the men. Come on boys, it's time to get to know your Dyson!

For the first time, it also breaks the information down along age lines and while older women are less likely to have a secondary education, the trend is reversed in younger women. 59% of women have jobs, including part-time ones compared to men of whom 72% work but at the same time, they are far more likely to report working 'very long hours'.

Meanwhile, men are 15% more likely to have been mugged and the murder rate among men is three times higher than that among women. And the ones that don't get mugged or murdered have a shorter life expectancy by about three years. At the same time, women report feeling less safe than men so are we just a bit neurotic or is it that 'Daily Mail' effect again?

So, it seems that if we want to be truly equal to men, we'll have to accept working much longer hours, having a higher risk of being murdered or assaulted and live a shorter life. Personally, I'd rather have the housework!

Must be French!