Canada bans conversion therapy
As of January 7, 2022 it will be a crime punishable by up to five years in prison to cause another person to undergo conversion therapy.
Child well-being
China’s first clinic for transgender children and adolescents set up in Shanghai
Experts expect that the clinic will serve as a bridge between transgender children, parents, doctors and the various circles of society.
Spain to ban advertising for unhealthy foods targeted at children
According to a 2019 study, which is based on surveys of children aged six to nine, 40% of Spanish minors are above their recommended weight.
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.
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.