Iceland outlaws conversion therapy in unanimous vote
The Icelandic parliament has unanimously passed a comprehensive conversion therapy ban, prohibiting the practice on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.
Child well-being
This archive covers measurable progress in child well-being — from advances in pediatric health and early education to policies reducing child poverty and hunger. Across 129 articles, these stories highlight what is working for kids around the world and the people driving that change.
California expands Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to provide universal access to free books for young children
With this expansion, all California children under 5 will be eligible to receive a free book in the mail every month, as the program scales over the next several years.
Vermont governor signs 1st-in-nation shield bills that explicitly include medicated abortion
The bills protect providers from discipline for providing legally protected reproductive and gender affirming health care services.
Taiwan amends law to allow same-sex couples to adopt
Four years after Taiwan legalized same-sex marriage, the legislature has passed an amendment that makes the process of adoption for same-sex partners the same as for any other couple under Taiwan’s existing laws.
First-of-its-kind brain surgery on baby inside the womb has successfully prevented heart failure
“In our first treated case, we were thrilled to see that the aggressive decline usually seen after birth simply did not appear,” said lead author Professor Darren Orbach of Boston Children’s Hospital.
New Mexico governor signs bill ending juvenile life sentences without parole
Under SB64, offenders who committed crimes when they were younger than 18 and received life sentences will be eligible for parole hearings 15 to 25 years into their sentences.
Kenya to expand use of ground-breaking malaria vaccine to more than 130,000 infants free of charge
The malaria vaccine – known as Mosquirix or RTS,s/AS01 – has seen a phased introduction in the country since a 2019 pilot program. This recent announcement represents a major step forward in the vaccine’s roll out.
Honduran president ends ban on emergency contraception, making it widely available
For years, Honduras was the only nation in the Americas to have an absolute ban on the sale or use of emergency contraception, also known as morning-after or “Plan B” pills.
Researchers cure toddler of deadly metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) for first time in history
Gene therapy has cured 19-month-old Teddi Shaw of metachromatic leukodystrophy, making her the first NHS patient treated for this rare, fatal nervous system disease. After a single infusion of Libmeldy at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, she’s now running around, chattering away, and showing no signs of the illness that typically kills children before age eight. The treatment works by correcting a faulty gene in the child’s own stem cells, eliminating the disease at its root rather than managing it. Her family’s joy is tempered by grief — Teddi’s older sister was diagnosed too late for the therapy to help, fueling calls for newborn screening. It’s a glimpse of medicine’s next era: one-time cures for inherited conditions, if access and early detection can keep pace.
Moderna’s mRNA RSV vaccine delivers impressive Phase 3 trial results
For decades researchers have been trying to develop a vaccine for the deadly respiratory disease. It looks like 2023 will be the landmark year where not only one, but possibly three different vaccines are approved.