By Suzanne York.

Last week there was action around the Global Gag Rule, an on-again, off-again 40-year-old policy detrimental to women’s reproductive health. The incoming Republican U.S. administration rescinded it, after the previous Democratic administration reinstated it.  This back and forth puts women’s lives at great risk.

Simply put, the Global Gag Rule (GGR) denies U.S. foreign assistance to organizations working overseas if they use private, non-U.S. funds to provide referrals, counseling, or access to safe abortion, even when it is legal in the country in question.

What is the Global Gag Rule?

The Global Gag Rule (also called the Mexico City policy, where it was first announced in 1984) required that any overseas organization receiving U.S. aid not have anything to do with abortion – including basic information, counseling or referrals. This held true even if the organization used its own funds. This had big implications on other areas of family planning services that had nothing to do with that, which ultimately denied support to women’s reproductive health.

It was first established by President Reagan, then rescinded by President Clinton, back in place under President George W. Bush, and repealed by President Obama.  This back and forth ping-pong policy approach has been very detrimental to organizations and policies on women’s rights and reproductive health.

Taking a Closer Look

There is much at stake. There are 218 million women in developing countries who want access to modern contraceptives but do not have it (i.e., they do not wish to get pregnant and are using no contraceptive method or a traditional method).  These are the women who will benefit from a stable U.S. policy on family planning services. The U.S. government (U.S.) has supported global FP/RH efforts for nearly 60 years and is the largest donor to FP/RH in the world. It is also one of the largest purchasers and distributors of contraceptives internationally.

Per Marie Stopes International, a woman in Madagascar, interviewed by Columbia University, shared about the impact of the GGR after the last time the policy was rescinded: “I got pregnant since the [contraceptive] method wasn’t there. Food is already difficult to find, and we weren’t able to buy medicines because there are none in this health center. The truth is that I didn’t choose to get pregnant; it’s because of the stockout.”

The Guttmacher Institute found that every $10 million decrease in funding below current levels would deny services to 518,000 women and couples and increase unintended pregnancies by 174,000, unplanned births by 69,000 and unsafe abortions by 56,000.

According to Kaiser Family Foundation, improving access to family planning and reproductive health (FP/RH) services globally can help prevent maternal deaths and reduce unintended pregnancies. Each year, an estimated 287,000 women die from complications during pregnancy and childbirth, almost all in low- and middle-income countries (emphasis added). Approximately one-third of maternal deaths could be prevented annually if women who did not wish to become pregnant had access to and used effective contraception.

The Kaiser Family Foundation released a fact sheet in 2024 that summarizes the major statutory requirements and policies pertaining to U.S. global family planning/reproductive health (FP/RH) efforts over time and identifies those currently in effect.  These laws and policies collectively serve to direct how U.S. funds are spent, to where and which organizations funds are provided, and generally shape the implementation and define the scope of U.S. global FP/RH activities. Please go here for an excellent overview.

In addition to the above organizations, other good sources on the Global Gag Rule, and ways to take action, include:

• PAI
• Population Connection Action Fund
• Center for Reproductive Rights

[photo: https://naturalwomanhood.org]

Women’s Lives are not a Game

It is unconscionable that women and girls are left to cope on their own and not provided with services that should be a human right. Politics should not be involved. U.S. policy on women’s health should address lack of access to contraception, reproductive health, maternal mortality, prenatal care and child survival rates. In the 21^st century, women should be put front and center. When women’s needs are met, there is often a ripple effect for their children, spouses, communities, and even the environment. Healthy women and stable communities the world over benefit the U.S. too.

Suzanne York is Director of Transition Earth.