Humanitarians urge Congress to rescind Trump admin 'global gag rule'
Humanitarian organizations are calling on Congress to pass legislation which would block restrictions to foreign aid on ideological grounds.
The Protecting Human Rights and Public Health in Foreign Assistance Act would nullify the expansion of President Donald Trump’s “global gag rule." The State Department’s latest expansion of the rule now includes restrictions on all foreign aid for groups promoting LGBTQ+ rights, gender-affirming care or diversity and equity initiatives.
Felicity Gray, global head of policy and advocacy for the group Nonviolent Peaceforce, said such restrictions could hurt organizations supporting women who face sexual assault and violence.
“Under the current expansion of the DEI provisions, we might not be able to advocate for someone targeted because of their gender or their race or ethnicity because of the way that this policy silences humanitarian organizations and their ability to do the work that they are mandated to do,” Gray explained.
The original gag rule from the 1980s restricted nongovernmental organizations performing or promoting reproductive abortion care from receiving U.S. aid for family planning. The administration has argued the move is a part of a larger effort to root out support for progressive issues out of the U.S. government and organizations receiving taxpayer funding.
Studies show the global gag rule has led to clinic closures, decreases in contraceptive services and a loss of mobile outreach services. Gray noted the Trump administration’s decision to expand the rule affects organizations in countries thousands of miles away and could have ripple effects here in the U.S.
“Our safety, our health, all of this is interconnected. If we don't want to be impacted by things like HIV and malaria in our own countries, in the U.S., then we need to make sure that we're considering how the decisions that we make elsewhere change that risk,” Gray asserted.
Democratic administrations have consistently rescinded the global gag rule when in power. One study found countries heavily reliant on U.S. aid see a 10% rise in maternal mortality when Republicans are elected to the White House and the global gag rule is reinstated.
