Understanding well-being’s complexities, including its subjective and context-dependent nature, is crucial for informing policy decisions and development interventions aimed at enhancing quality of life and reducing poverty. Unfortunately, subjective well-being (SWB) research, particularly in the context of Global South, has received relatively less attention, despite its fundamental importance in the field of human development. This research aims to contribute to the discussion on SWB by examining its association with diverse forms of inequalities and deprivations. Specifically, we investigate the impact of these deprivations, both at the societal and intra-household levels, on SWB among the rural population of the Western Province in Zambia. The study underscores low levels of SWB in the surveyed area. It reveals the impact of intra-household inequalities, demonstrating that the presence of a more educated individual in the household positively affects well-being. On the other hand, having responsibilities related to decision-making power within households diminishes SWB, probably due to related stress and anxiety. As expected, limited access to resources in the household also negatively affects SWB. Our main finding in the realm of societal inequalities revolves around the assertion that fostering social capital through active participation in formal or informal groups significantly enhances SWB. Empowering individuals through education and knowledge sharing, and promoting inclusivity and diversity in social interactions are key strategies that policymakers can adopt to enhance SWB in the Muoyo-Mukukutu area and similar regions.

了解福祉的复杂性，包括其主观性和环境依赖性，对于为旨在提高生活质量和减少贫困​​的政策决策和发展干预措施提供信息至关重要。不幸的是，主观幸福感（SWB）研究，特别是在全球南方背景下，受到的关注相对较少，尽管它在人类发展领域具有根本重要性。本研究旨在通过考察主观幸福感与各种形式的不平等和剥夺的关系，为有关主观幸福感的讨论做出贡献。具体来说，我们调查了这些剥夺在社会和家庭内部层面对赞比亚西部省农村人口的主观幸福感的影响。该研究强调了调查地区的主观幸福感较低。它揭示了家庭内部不平等的影响，表明家庭中受教育程度较高的人的存在对福祉产生积极影响。另一方面，家庭内部承担与决策权相关的责任会降低主观幸福感，这可能是由于相关的压力和焦虑。正如预期的那样，获得家庭资源的机会有限也会对主观幸福感产生负面影响。我们在社会不平等领域的主要发现围绕这样一个论点，即通过积极参与正式或非正式团体来培养社会资本可以显着提高主观幸福感。通过教育和知识共享赋予个人权力，促进社会互动的包容性和多样性，是政策制定者可以采取的关键战略，以增强穆奥约-穆库库图地区和类似地区的主观幸福感。