Child well-being

Children eating school meal

Colorado voters approve tax increase on high earners to fund school meals, food stamps

By / / Good News For Humankind

Colorado has achieved a major victory for public health with the passage of Proposition MM. This landmark measure secures approximately $100 million annually for mental health and addiction services by limiting tax deductions for high earners making over $300,000. The revenue will expand access to care in rural communities and support critical crisis intervention programs. This decisive vote confirms a strong public commitment to progressive funding solutions, treating mental health as an essential service for all.

Pill

U.K.’s National Health Service makes morning-after pill available for free in pharmacies across England

By / / Good News For Humankind

England has achieved a major victory for public health by making the morning-after pill free across community pharmacies. This expansion eliminates the significant financial barrier that previously cost patients up to £30. Public health experts predict this policy will lead to a crucial decline in unintended pregnancies. By ensuring immediate and widespread access, the National Health Service (NHS) is actively promoting reproductive autonomy and health equity.

Male, Maldives

The Maldives becomes first country to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis & hepatitis B

By / / Good News For Humankind

The Maldives has achieved a major public health victory by eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis, and Hepatitis B (HBV). This historic WHO-verified status makes the nation a global leader in maternal and child health. The success is rooted in universal antenatal screening and equitable access to medication across all islands. This achievement secures a healthier start for future generations and provides a powerful blueprint for eliminating other diseases globally.

Hands holding a blank smart phone

Sweden to implement nationwide mobile phone ban in schools

By / / Good News For Humankind

Sweden has implemented a decisive, nationwide ban on mobile phones in schools to enhance student focus and academic performance. This new policy is a strong commitment to creating a distraction-free learning environment. Preliminary data suggests the ban will boost student test scores and significantly improve social skills by encouraging face-to-face interaction. This comprehensive approach serves as a modern blueprint for other nations seeking to protect educational integrity and student mental health.

Bolivian flag

Bolivia bans child marriage

By / / Good News For Humankind

In a major victory for children’s rights, Bolivia has passed a law that officially bans child marriage. This landmark legislation, which makes Bolivia the 14th country in Latin America to take this step, eliminates legal loopholes that had previously allowed 16- and 17-year-olds to marry with parental consent. The change is the result of a four-year campaign by groups like Save the Children, and it’s a powerful move to protect children from violence and ensure they have a chance at a healthy future.

Children in preschool raising their hands

New Mexico to be first U.S. state to launch universal child care system

By / / Good News For Humankind

A groundbreaking new law in New Mexico is making history by guaranteeing no-cost childcare for all families. This initiative is a strategic investment in the state’s future, designed to boost the economy by enabling parents, particularly mothers, to enter or re-enter the workforce. It also ensures quality by increasing provider pay to a minimum of $18 an hour. This progressive move sets a new national standard, proving that investing in children and families is a powerful path to long-term prosperity.

Midwife and mother

Virginia becomes first U.S. state to recognize autonomous midwifery practice

By / / Good News For Humankind

Autonomous midwifery practice enables midwives to conduct their professional work by providing evidence-based, high-quality, and ethical care across pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum, as well as providing other reproductive health care. Now, Virginia midwives can not only practice autonomously but also receive 100% free schedule reimbursement from private insurance and Medicaid. They can also serve on a 24-hour on-call duty roster for nursery care when physicians are unavailable, addressing staffing shortages in rural areas.

School meal

Free school meals to be extended to half a million more of England’s poorest children

By / / Good News For Humankind

Since 2018, children in England have only been eligible for free school meals if their household income is less than £7,400 per year, meaning hundreds of thousands of children living in poverty have been unable to access them. Now, from the start of the 2026 school year, every child whose household is on universal credit will be entitled to free school meals. The major policy expansion is expected to offer free meals to an additional 500,000 children across, lift 100,000 children out of poverty, and put an extra £500 in parents’ pockets.