Most of the time when I write on this blog, I’m not really writing about the happiest things in the world. In doing research, I often find myself reading through terrible opinions from horrible people about non-factual things. It kind of sucks.
It’s my choice of course and I'm hardly the only person dealing with this issue. Many people who spend time learning about terrible things in the world rightfully feel like the world is terrible. It becomes hopeless. In an attempt to combat this, I've curated a couple stories world-wide of good things happening! There are millions of people dedicated to making the world a better place, it would be a disservice not to appreciate their efforts.
As Mr. Rodgers said, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”
Japan's Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Transgender Woman in Bathroom Dispute
On July 11th, 2023, the Japanese Supreme Court ruled in favor of a transgender woman against the country's trade ministry. This was a landmark ruling concerning LGBTQ rights in Japan, a country that has yet to legalize same-sex marriage. Transgender people in Japan will be expected to use the bathroom of their gender identity without state restriction, as Japan has found such discrimination to be against their constitution.
The case itself followed a transgender woman who was forced by her work to use a women's bathroom two floors away from her desk. While she was allowed to use a bathroom similar to her gender identity, she was not allowed to use the one in the main office - rather, she was forced to use an alternate restroom. Seeking justice, the woman asked for intervention from the trade ministry of Japan. She was rejected, as the government had argued that such a restriction was fully within the confines of the law.
This is no longer the case! The woman successfully sued the governmental department and the Supreme Court has made themselves clear: transgender individuals may use the bathroom of their choice. Hooray for Japan!
Millions Relieved From Poverty Over The Last Decade, Stand-out Countries Include India, China, Honduras
A continuing collaboration of the United Nations Development Programme and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative has allowed the organizations to carefully track and research poverty across the globe. The two organizations have worked together for a decade now, releasing the first multidimensional poverty index (MDPI) in 2010.
Two days ago, an updated version of the MDPI was released by the United Nations describing the changes in poverty over the last decade. Its results were rather shocking: 25 countries halved the number of impoverished within the last 15 years! This was a reduction of hundreds of millions of people in poverty. Some countries in this list are as follows: Cambodia, China, Honduras, Congo, India, Indonesia, Morocco, Serbia, and Viet Nam.
One notable stand-out is India's change in poverty. India uplifted 415 million people out of poverty in the last 15 years, almost half a billion people. That's 6% of all human beings on the planet! These changes are a direct result of policies put into place by the Indian government, showing that it's possible to change poverty levels with policy. Other stand-out countries are China, who uplifted 69 million people in 4 years, and Indonesia, who uplifted 8 million people in 5 years.
Brazil's Amazon Forest sees 34% less deforestation in the first half of 2023
Owing to the election of President Lula, Brazil's most famous forest saw a dramatic drop in deforestation in the first six months of 2023. This is especially welcome news considering 2021 had the highest amount of deforestation in decades. More so, the month of June saw a stark 41% reduction compared to years past. This is a staggering change, considering June marks the beginning of dry season, when deforestation tends to escalate.
While President Lula de Silva deserves credit for implementation of strong environmental protection policy, it is nice to know that this effort comes from some amount of international help. Germany has provided over one hundred million dollars USD to both subsidize small Amazon farmers and to strengthen environmental enforcement. This was money that has been available to the Brazilian government but was turned down by the prior administration.
Of course, deforestation still happens in the Amazon, but this is encouraging new data for conservation advocates. As the policies become more fleshed out and new environmental agents are hired, hopefully Brazil will continue to see a decrease in these rates for years to come. It's hardly a bad first year, that's for sure!