Child well-being

This archive tracks real progress in child well-being — from advances in nutrition, education, and mental health to policies that expand opportunity for young people worldwide. Each story focuses on what’s working and why, grounded in evidence rather than optimism alone.

A young girl writing in a school notebook, for an article about Bolivia's child marriage ban

Bolivia bans child marriage with no exceptions, joining a growing regional movement

By / / Good News For Humankind

Child marriage ban advances in Bolivia as Law No. 1639 takes effect, setting 18 as the absolute minimum age for marriage and civil unions with no exceptions. The previous law had allowed marriage at 16 or 17 with parental or judicial approval, a loophole advocates say was routinely used to formalize pregnancies and conceal sexual violence against girls. More than 4,800 adolescent marriages were recorded in Bolivia between 2014 and 2024. The reform aligns Bolivia with over a dozen Latin American nations that have already eliminated similar exceptions, signaling that sustained, evidence-based advocacy can produce meaningful legal change.

A child attending a rural school classroom for an article about extreme child poverty

Global extreme child poverty drops 18% as South Asia leads the way

By / / Good News For Humankind

Extreme child poverty has fallen by nearly 100 million children over the past decade, according to new World Bank research showing approximately 412 million children living on under a day in 2024, down from 507 million in 2014. South Asia led the way, with extreme child poverty more than halving thanks to sustained investment in education, nutrition, and health care. The progress is policy-driven, not accidental, demonstrating that coordinated public investment produces real results. Sub-Saharan Africa remains a serious challenge, accounting for over three-quarters of children in extreme poverty despite representing just 23% of the global child population.

Young children playing together at a child care center for an article about New Mexico universal child care

New Mexico becomes the first U.S. state to guarantee universal child care

By / / Good News For Humankind

Universal child care becomes reality in New Mexico starting November 1, 2025, when the state becomes the first in the nation to guarantee no-cost child care to every family regardless of income. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced the milestone on September 8, capping a six-year phased expansion by the state’s Early Childhood Education and Care Department. For families, the program means an average savings of 2,000 per child annually. Built on deliberate groundwork rather than improvisation, New Mexico now offers the first domestic proof that universal early childhood care is logistically achievable in the United States.

A nurse-midwife consulting with a pregnant patient in a rural clinic for an article about autonomous midwifery practice

Virginia gives nurse-midwives the right to practice without physician oversight

By / / Good News For Humankind

Certified nurse-midwives in Virginia can now practice independently after the state eliminated its physician supervision requirement. The change addresses a critical gap in maternity care, particularly in rural counties where obstetric services are scarce or entirely absent. Research consistently shows that midwife-led care for low-risk pregnancies produces strong outcomes for mothers and newborns while reducing unnecessary medical interventions. Virginia joins a growing number of states aligning licensing laws with full practice authority standards, reflecting national momentum to expand access to qualified maternal care providers.

A school cafeteria serving hot lunch to children for an article about free school meals expansion — 12 words

England to extend free school meals to 500,000 more children from low-income families

By / / Good News For Humankind

Free school meals expansion in England will reach 500,000 additional children starting September 2026, the U.K. government has announced. The change scraps the existing £7,400 income cap for Universal Credit households, meaning any family receiving the benefit qualifies regardless of earnings. This matters because the old threshold excluded hundreds of thousands of working families who earned just enough to be locked out but not enough to pay comfortably. The expansion is projected to lift around 100,000 children out of poverty and save eligible families approximately £500 per year.

Two women holding a young child outdoors for an article about same-sex parental rights

Italy’s top court rules both same-sex mothers must appear on birth certificates

By / / Good News For Humankind

Same-sex parental rights in Italy took a landmark step forward on May 22, 2025, when the Constitutional Court ruled that both women in a same-sex couple must be legally recognized as parents of children conceived abroad through assisted reproduction. The decision closes a painful legal gap that left thousands of children without guaranteed ties to their non-biological mother. Centering children’s welfare rather than parental identity, the Court found that excluding co-mothers from birth certificates violates constitutional principles of equality and legal certainty. Italy now joins much of Western Europe in offering this foundational protection, though domestic restrictions on IVF for same-sex couples remain unresolved.

Someone holding a phone opening the TikTok app, for article on Brazil smartphone ban in schools

Brazil bans smartphones in schools to aim for better learning

By / / Good News For Humankind

Brazil’s nationwide school smartphone ban is already showing results, and Stanford-led research offers an early look at why. In surveys of more than 3,000 students, teachers, and administrators across all 26 states, 83% of students said they’re paying more attention in class since the law took effect. Younger kids are adapting fastest — 88% of elementary students reported sharper focus, compared with 70% of high schoolers. Researchers also found that the schools seeing the biggest shifts gave students a dedicated spot to stash their phones, suggesting physical separation matters more than rules on paper. As dozens of countries weigh similar policies, Brazil’s real-time experiment is becoming a rare evidence base for what actually works.

Indonesian children smiling, for article on Indonesia free meals program

Indonesia launches free meals program to feed millions of children and pregnant women

By / / Good News For Humankind

Indonesia’s free meal program kicked off in January 2025 by serving rice, vegetables, tempeh, chicken, and oranges to 740 students at a single primary school outside Jakarta — the opening day of an effort that aims to feed nearly 90 million people by 2029. The program targets a stunting crisis affecting more than one in five Indonesian children under five, extending meals to pregnant women because healthy development begins in the womb. Nearly 2,000 local cooperatives will supply the food, channeling income to rice growers, fisherfolk, and livestock producers along the way. It’s a generational bet that nourishing kids today builds the human foundation any country needs to thrive tomorrow.

Colombia flag, for article on child marriage ban

Colombia outlaws child marriage after 17-year campaign

By / / Good News For Humankind

Colombia just banned marriage for anyone under 18, ending a 137-year-old loophole that had let minors wed with a parent’s signature. The new law — carried by the slogan “They are Girls, Not Wives” — passed after a 17-year campaign and eight earlier defeats, led by congresswoman Jennifer Pedraza and a coalition of advocates who refused to give up. UNICEF estimates roughly one in four Colombian women alive today were married before 18, so the stakes here are enormous. The law also requires education and prevention programs, recognizing that real change takes more than a ban. Colombia’s win adds momentum to a regional shift toward protecting girls’ futures everywhere.