Trump Administration Dramatically Expands the Global Gag Rule

PAI condemns President Trump’s alarming decision to impose new restrictions on U.S. foreign aid by dramatically expanding the Global Gag Rule —a policy that endangers the health and lives of people, especially women and girls, around the world. As one of his first acts in office, the President reinstated the Global Gag Rule and changed the policy to apply to all global health funding. The policy is already unpopular with most Americans, and the newly announced expansion will be even more disruptive and deadly, adding restrictions to new funding streams, new entities, and on new issues.

“The dramatically expanded Global Gag Rule undermines decades of progress on global health, gender equality, and human rights, and cuts millions of people off from essential health care,” said Nabeeha Kazi Hutchins, President & CEO of global reproductive health non-profit, PAI. “This GGR restricts what countries and organizations can do with their own non-U.S. resources that support the health, safety and wellbeing of their own communities. The GGR is unpopular with a majority of Americans and the expanded scope furthers harm and injustice, placing the Trump Administration out of step with efforts to advance global health and stability.”

Under the dramatic expansion, all organizations accepting any form of U.S. non-military foreign aid, including U.S.-based partners, the United Nations, other multilateral entities, and even other national governments will be barred from promoting what the Administration describes as “gender ideology,” supporting “discriminatory equity ideology,” or engaging in activities it deems “unlawful diversity, equity, and inclusion”.

The United States has long been a leader in providing foreign aid, but this policy change is yet another way of dismantling that legacy and undermining global norms and human rights. Last fall, the administration rescinded nearly $8 billion in foreign aid which was destined for disease prevention, famine control, and disaster relief, including approximately $500 million for global family planning and reproductive health. To add insult to injury, the administration has threatened to burn nearly $10 million in already paid-for birth control destined for low-income countries. The enormous expansion of an already deadly policy will exacerbate existing inequalities and undo decades of global progress towards sustainable development.

PAI will continue to push Congress, funders, and courts to hold the Trump administration accountable. PAI will continually update our Global Gag Rule website to mobilize reproductive rights advocates around the world to document the consequences of the policy. We will also work alongside our 77 partners in 35 countries to document the policy’s impacts, capture affected communities’ stories, and amplify these on-the-ground voices and data showing the human cost of these restrictions. PAI will continue to deliver on its mission to keep the American people and the international community informed and updated.