Devex: ‘Global gag rule’ impact already being felt, family planning advocates warn
“The impact on women’s health of U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to reinstate and extend the ‘global gag rule’ is already being felt in a number of countries around the world, according to reproductive rights advocates speaking at a protest event held outside the White House. The order[, which] seeks to prevent all non-U.S. NGOs that provide services or information relating to abortion from receiving U.S. government funding for any of their [global health] activities, is facing strong opposition from NGOs, high-profile donors including Bill and Melinda Gates, and also U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen…” (Edwards, 3/8).

Humanosphere: Women gather in D.C. to protest Trump’s Global Gag Rule
“…[The Mexico City policy] has been controversial since it was first instated by President Ronald Reagan in 1984, but Trump’s version dramatically expanded the scope of the Gag Rule. … Trump’s expansion of the policy … cover[s] all global health assistance — a move women’s health advocates say would threaten the lives of millions of the world’s poorest women and families. The expanded policy would cut funding to [non-U.S. NGOs that do not agree to adhere to the Mexico City policy under] health programs ranging from family planning, maternal and child health, nutrition, HIV/AIDS (including PEPFAR), infectious diseases, malaria, tuberculosis to neglected tropical diseases. Advocates have pointed to mounting evidence that the rule actually leads to an increase in unsafe abortions and a decrease in access to contraception, leading to more unwanted pregnancies, higher rates of HIV, and other health issues for women across the developing world. Criticism of Trump’s foreign aid approach surged again last week, when his administration proposed a 37 percent cut to the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development to help pay for increased military spending…” (Nikolau, 3/8).