France makes birth control free for everyone under 25
The free contraceptives offered include the pill, IUDs, contraceptive patches, and other methods composed of steroid hormones. Doctor’s visits for birth control prescriptions will also be free.
Child well-being
Mexico’s top court decriminalizes abortion in ‘watershed moment’
The decision in the world’s second-biggest Roman Catholic country means that courts can no longer prosecute abortion cases, and follows the historic legalization of the right in Argentina earlier this year.
China bans written exams for six- and seven-year-olds as it retools education system
Beijing on Monday banned written exams for six- and seven-year-olds, as part of sweeping education reforms aimed at relieving pressure on pupils and parents in China’s hyper-competitive school system.
Scotland to provide free bikes to kids in need
The pilot projects will be launched officially in the first 100 days of the new Scottish government. They will trial a mix of ownership, loan, and subscription models in regions across the country.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to ban toxic pesticide chlorpyrifos
Studies from Columbia University, University of California Berkeley, and other renowned institutions show that chlorpyrifos can damage the developing brains of children, causing reduced IQ, loss of working memory, and attention deficit disorders.
Child hunger rates in the U.S. slashed 24% after first round of Child Tax Credit payment
The percentage of American families with kids who report not having enough to eat fell dramatically after the first child tax credit payments were distributed last month, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Tanzania to offer alternative education for school dropouts including pregnant girls
Secondary school drop-outs in Tanzania will be offered the opportunity to resume studies in alternative colleges, part of a shift away from a disputed policy under which pregnant girls were expelled from school.
Cuba is the first country in the world to eliminate mother-to-child HIV and syphilis transmission
The country’s efforts include prenatal care, HIV and syphilis testing for pregnant women and their partners, treatment for women who test positive and their babies, cesarean deliveries and breastfeeding substitution.
Childhood Hepatitis B cases drop 80% worldwide in last three decades
Due to a highly effective global vaccine program, the proportion of children under five who are chronically infected with Hepatitis B has plummeted significantly—to just under 1%. This is down from around 5% in the pre-vaccine era (the period between the 1980s and the early 2000s), according to new estimates from the World Health Organization.
New Jersey becomes first state in the U.S. to provide universal access to arts education
Universal access means all public schools provide some form of arts education and every student has the opportunity to participate in arts education programs as part of the regular school day.