Human Rights Good News

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Mpilo Tutu has died at the age of 90.Archbishop Tutu earned the respect and love of millions of South Africans and the world. He carved out a permanent place in their hearts and minds, becoming known affectionately as “The Arch”.

We still have so much work to do to ensure refugees have a safe, clear, and simple way to find not only a safe place to call home and have their basic needs met — but a place to thrive, too. It's also true that we made a lot of progress.

The pandemic wasn't the only area we saw progress as it relates to global health — but it was the catalyst for a number of the year's best good news stories.

Needless to say, 2021 did not start out great on the democracy front (*cough cough - Capitol insurrection*) — the U.S. and countries around the world went on to make history in areas of politics and policy.

This year was filled with progress for the LGBTQ+ community in the United States and globally. We saw that elections matter, representation is increasing, and people are finding creative ways to support queer people around the world.

In all areas of life — ranging from healthcare to innovation to arts and culture to education — we’re seeing significant changes for the better.

As we rounded out the year 2021, we're looking back on the best good news stories from December. While this year or this month have been filled with heartbreak, pain, and injustice — there have still been so many stories worth celebrating.

The ultimate list of the best good news stories from the year 2021.

Exploring the problem that garment workers in the fashion industry face — and unpacking how we can make a difference (and the good already being done)

Between 2009 and 2018, the U.S. had 57 times more school shootings than the rest of the G7 countries combined. Here's how to help bring an end to school shootings.

The world has experienced a 59% decline in the deaths of children younger than five years since 1990. New mortality estimates indicate that the largest drop was in 2019, when global under-five deaths were reduced to 5.2 million from 12.5 million in 1990.

Lesbian and gay couples celebrated in Chile after winning a decades-long fight for the right to wed, joining more than 20 other nations that have legalized same-sex marriage.