Global Gag Rule

A revolving policy instituted by every Republican president since Reagan and revoked by every subsequent Democrat, the Global Gag Rule is a policy of cutting off U.S. aid to organizations that “perform or promote abortion”.

Specifically, the Global Gag Rule originally prohibited non-governmental organizations (NGO’s), programs and clinics from using any global aid (U.S. or otherwise) to “perform or promote abortion as a method of family planning” as a condition for receiving U.S. global family planning assistance.

Though, never to be outdone by the cruelties of a better man – Donald Trump proudly expanded those eligible to be stripped of U.S. global aid. Where prior policy only applied to funds related to ‘family planning’ (accounting for less than 10% of available U.S. aid), President Trumps version applies to all potential recipients of U.S. global health assistance.

Further, it now applies to any organization that might so much as acknowledge safe abortion practices as an option in family planning.

Now more than ever, the policy is not just an attack on those women’s health, but also an attack on wholly unassociated communities eligible for funding for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, nutrition, maternal and child health, and other programs.

Status

Jan. 23^rd, 2017 RULE IN EFFECT

President Trump issues enhanced global gag rule called the “protecting life in global health assistance” policy.

Trump’s ‘Mexico City Policy’ or ‘Global Gag Rule’ | Human Rights Watch (2.8.18)

Notables

Analysis in the medical journal The Lancet found the policy, as instituted in Sub-Saharan Africa under President Bush (2001-09), actually resulted in more abortions as a result of limited funding for family planning organizations and reduced access to contraceptive education and care.

Analysis of the ‘Mexico City Policy’ | The Lancet (8.1.19)

Among the victims, 5,5 million children in Bangladesh who were prevented from receiving U.S. nutrition assistance as a result of Trump’s expansion of the rule.