The fight to end poverty is so often framed in dire terms--and for good reason. Poverty exists and it causes people to suffer.

But the fight to end poverty can also be viewed from a positive angle: poverty has been alleviated, and is being alleviated, on a vast scale.

Women are becoming empowered, more kids are going to school, health solutions are becoming more available, the daily lives of billions of people are improving, renewable energy is becoming viable and so many more positive things are happening.

On this International Day of Happiness, here are 6 reasons to be optimistic about the future.

Poverty

Since 2000, more than 1 billion people have been lifted out of extreme poverty, which is defined as living on $1.25 USD a day or less.

Image: Flickr: Andreas Nilsson

Education

More than 34 million kids were able to go to school that wouldn’t have otherwise because of investments made since 2000.

Image: World Vision/Daniel Mung

Health

The global infant mortality rate has halved since 1990, from 12.7 million under-five deaths per year, to 5.9 million. This is the first time that rate has dropped below 6 million and this reduction has saved the lives of over 48 million children under the age of five.

A female Pakistani doctor examining a young child in a rural area.
Image: Flickr: Global Panorama

Water & sanitation

More than 2 billion people gained access to improved water sources from 1990 to 2010.

Hunger

Since 1990 the number of people suffering from hunger has dropped by 216 million people and the portion of undernourished people has gone down from 23.6% to 14.3%.

Image: Flickr: CIDSE

Clean energy

According to the International Energy Agency, energy efficiency improvements over the last four decades have lowered energy consumption in 29 countries by 60%.

Image: Flickr: DFID

A lot of progress still has to be made before poverty ends. But every year brings humanity closer to achieving this all-important goal. 

On this International Day of Happiness, think about all the efforts that have been made by people around the world to help people pull themselves out of poverty. And above all, remember that poverty does not have to be permanent. It can be overcome and it will be overcome.