Today (2017 C.E. - 2025 C.E.)

Trans pride flag

Kenyan court orders trans rights bill in landmark legal ruling

By / / Good News For Humankind

Kenya’s Eldoret High Court has issued a historic ruling affirming the rights and dignity of transgender people. The case, brought by activist Shieys Chepkosgei, challenged invasive treatment she endured while in custody, with the court declaring her rights had been violated. Judges awarded damages and, most significantly, ordered Parliament to draft legislation protecting transgender people from discrimination. Advocates call the decision a breakthrough for equality in a country where LGBTQ+ communities face stigma and legal barriers. While challenges remain, the ruling is a hopeful step toward recognition, dignity, and stronger protections for transgender Kenyans.

Fly

Kenya declared free of deadly sleeping sickness by WHO

By / / Good News For Humankind

Kenya has officially eliminated sleeping sickness as a public health problem—becoming the tenth country worldwide and the fifth in Africa to reach this milestone. The disease, spread by tsetse flies, causes fever, swollen lymph nodes and, if untreated, severe damage to the nervous system, disrupting sleep and leading to coma or death. Kenya recorded its last local case in 2009 and its last imported cases in 2012 after years of investment in surveillance, diagnostics and fly control. With WHO validation, Kenya’s success strengthens Africa’s collective drive to eliminate sleeping sickness across the continent by 2030.

Fishing people in Ghana

Ghana passes landmark legislation to protect artisanal fisheries

By / / Good News For Humankind

Ghana has enacted the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act of 2025, a landmark reform that strengthens protections for its artisanal fishing communities. The law doubles the inshore exclusion zone (IEZ) from 6 to 12 nautical miles, effectively banning industrial trawlers from critical coastal waters and safeguarding vital breeding grounds. It also introduces mandatory electronic monitoring on industrial vessels, tougher penalties for illegal activity, and greater autonomy for the Fisheries Commission in managing marine resources. Signed into law by President Mahama on August 19, the reform is widely seen as a major step toward rebuilding overfished stocks, defending livelihoods, and positioning Ghana as a leader in sustainable West African fisheries management.

Rainforest

Guatemala, Mexico, and Belize to protect 14 million acres of Mayan forest

By / / Good News For Humankind

Leaders from Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize have unveiled formal plans to establish the Great Mayan Jungle Biocultural Corridor, a transnational conservation initiative spanning over 14 million acres of tropical forest. This corridor will become the second-largest protected area in the Americas, following only the Amazon. The initiative aims to combat deforestation, illegal logging, and organized crime by integrating strong security measures with community-led conservation efforts. A governing council comprising environmental and Indigenous representatives will oversee development projects within the reserve, ensuring they align with ecological and cultural preservation goals.

Colombo, Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Supreme Court orders $1 bn payment for X-Press Pearl disaster

By / / Good News For Humankind

Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court has issued a landmark verdict, ordering the owners, operators, and local agents of the MV X-Press Pearl to pay $1 billion in compensation for the catastrophic marine disaster off Colombo in 2021. The Singapore-flagged ship caught fire and sank, releasing billions of plastic nurdles and toxic chemicals, ruining marine ecosystems and coastal livelihoods. The court upheld the “polluter pays” principle and mandated the creation of an independent compensation commission, with the first instalment due by September 23, 2025. This judgment sets a powerful precedent for environmental justice and accountability in the Global South.

Poon Hill, Histan Mandali, Nepal

Nepal eliminates rubella as a public health problem

By / / Good News For Humankind

Nepal has officially eliminated rubella, a contagious virus that can cause serious complications for pregnant women and lifelong disabilities for newborns. Once a major public health concern, rubella often led to miscarriage, stillbirth, or congenital rubella syndrome, which can result in heart defects, deafness, and developmental challenges. Thanks to sustained vaccination campaigns and resilient health systems, Nepal has now achieved over 95% coverage since 2012. Verified by the World Health Organization, this milestone means safer pregnancies, healthier children, and greater hope for future generations.

Vilnius, Lithuania

Lithuania court recognizes same-sex couple in historic ruling

By / / Good News For Humankind

A Vilnius City District Court has for the first time granted state recognition to a same-sex couple in Lithuania, affirming them as a legal family and enabling them to access social and economic benefits tied to family status. Although Lithuania’s Constitution explicitly bans same-sex marriage and the Civil Code restricts civil partnerships to opposite-sex couples, the court’s decision aligns with a landmark April 17, 2025, ruling by the Constitutional Court. That decision declared these restrictions unconstitutional, calling on Lithuania’s Parliament to enact partnership legislation—and, in the meantime, allowing courts to grant recognition.

Lagos, Nigeria

Lagos bans single-use plastics

By / / Good News For Humankind

On July 1, 2025, Lagos introduced a ban on single-use plastics like Styrofoam plates, straws, and cutlery. The city—home to 20 million people—has long battled severe plastic pollution, with clogged waterways worsening floods and harming health. The ban is already driving grassroots recycling, sparking innovation in sustainable packaging, and raising public awareness about waste reduction. If supported by stronger enforcement, better waste systems, and affordable alternatives, this move could slash hundreds of thousands of tons of plastic waste annually—positioning Lagos as a model for African cities aiming to protect their environment and build a cleaner, more resilient future.

Boston skyline with Fenway Park in foreground

Massachusetts governor signs new shield law for abortion & trans health care

By / / Good News For Humankind

A new shield law in Massachusetts, signed by Governor Maura Healey, has created a legal sanctuary for reproductive and gender-affirming care. The law protects patients and providers from out-of-state legal attacks, including subpoenas and lawsuits. It builds on previous protections for abortion and now extends the same legal safeguards to transgender healthcare. This measure reinforces the state’s commitment to protecting essential, evidence-based medical care in the face of national legislative challenges.