Good Governance
What does good governance look like? In this good news section, we share international examples of good governance, from efforts directed at the protection of civil rights to initiatives aimed at the sustainable use of natural resources and the protection of the environment.
Mexico’s Supreme Court rules to decriminalize abortion
Mexico’s Supreme Court ruled this week that criminalizing abortion is illegal. This landmark unanimous decision comes after years of advocacy from women’s rights groups who have fought to legalize abortion in the largely Catholic country. Although the decision does not automatically make Read More...
This new approach to parole helps reduce recidivism
Recidivism is a term that describes the tendency of previously incarcerated individuals to become reincarcerated一and it’s a huge problem in the US. America’s justice system is notoriously problematic, with criticisms ranging from a fundamental disagreement on what should be illegal to how Read More...
Costa Rica isn’t letting Covid stand in the way of sustainable progress
One small Central American country is making big moves when it comes to combating climate change. Famous for its environmental policy, Costa Rica is making headway against the destruction of its fragile habitats even in the face of budget cuts and setbacks due to the pandemic. Costa Rica is Read More...
Robert E. Lee statue set to be removed from Richmond, VA
A colossal 21 foot tall Robert E. Lee statue has been removed from Virginia's capital, state officials said on Wednesday. The statue stood for over 130 years as a monument to the Confederacy. "Virginia's largest monument to the Confederate insurrection will come down this week," Governor Ralph Read More...
How relocating urban highways is an act of racial justice
Many urban highways from the 1950s and 1960s were deliberately built through neighborhoods primarily occupied by people of color, effectively walling these families off from economic opportunity and disrupting their sense of community. Urban planning and public policy researchers Julian Agyeman and Read More...
Greece creates climate crisis ministry in the wake of summer fires
Following a summer of devastating fires and record temperatures, Greece’s government has created a new ministry to address the impact and risks of climate change. Led by former European Union commissioner Christos Stylianides, the ministry will be in charge of firefighting, disaster relief, Read More...
Arizona abolishes peremptory challenges to improve juror diversity
Arizona’s state Supreme Court has announced a policy change to improve juror diversity and reduce racial bias in the legal system. The state will eliminate peremptory challenges, the practice that allows lawyers to remove jurors from a case without justification. In both criminal and civil Read More...
Donate and volunteer: Where to support Hurricane Ida victims
Hurricane Ida made landfall on Sunday as a powerful Category 4 storm. This is the largest hurricane to hit Louisiana since Katrina and the storm is causing widespread damage across Mississippi as well. Although it has been downgraded to a tropical storm as it moves northeast, it left one million Read More...
Charlotte, NC launches peer-run alternative to psychiatric hospitalization
Following successful alternative policing programs in Denver and Newark, Charlotte, North Carolina is adopting their own resource for those in a mental health crisis. The new Retreat @ the Plaza, run by Promise Resource Network, is a peer-run alternative to psychiatric hospitalization for those Read More...
New law makes it easier for veterans to adopt service dogs
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has launched a new program that aims to make service dogs more available to veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The newly-signed Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers (PAWS) for Veterans Therapy Act is the result of years of work from Read More...