Wales bans smacking and slapping children
The Welsh government has hailed the policy change as a ‘historic moment’ for children’s rights amid calls for England to follow suit.
Child well-being
Tokyo schools drop controversial dress code on hair and underwear color
Other rules being cut include the practice of punishing students with a form of house arrest, and ambiguous language in the guidelines on what is considered “typical of high school students.”
New pregnancy risk tool cuts baby loss in Black and Asian women
In a study of 20,000 pregnant women, baby death rates in ethnic groups were three times lower than normal when the tool was used.
Israel formally bans LGBTQ+ conversion therapy
While the Health Ministry has advised against conversion therapy for years, no formal prohibition had been issued against the practice until now.
Indigenous groups in Colombia are training youth to defend the Amazon rainforest
Since 2020, academics from two Bogota universities have visited riverside communities to teach youth accounting, computer and writing skills, and about laws protecting Indigenous rights.
The Philippines bans child marriage
Under the new law, culpable parties can face prison terms of up to 12 years for marrying or cohabiting with anyone under the age of 18.
Canada pledges billions of dollars to compensate Indigenous children
$15.75 billion USD will be allotted to Indigenous children who were unfairly placed in the welfare system, faced delays in accessing services, or did not receive them at all.
Girls in Seychelles to receive free sanitary products
Sanitary products will be made available free of charge to all girls in Seychelles in both state and private secondary schools as of the new school year in January 2022.
Botswana achieves WHO’s “silver tier” certification for mother-to-child HIV transmission
The country was previously classified as a “high burden” country, which is defined as more than two percent of women living with HIV.
Humanity achieves 59% decline in deaths of children under five since 1990
The progress may be the result of related efforts like improved nutrition, housing, water, sanitation, education, and financial security, as well as the availability of health services worldwide.