Washington, D.C. — Today, through executive order, President Donald Trump reinstated the Mexico City Policy. Better known as the Global Gag Rule, or GGR, the policy has been a barrier to comprehensive reproductive health care for women overseas during every Republican administration since its introduction in 1984. The policy was rescinded by both Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.
Jamila Taylor, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
With this executive action, and just hours into the new presidency, the Trump administration has proven that its anti-choice, anti-woman agenda will be implemented with full force. Unfortunately, it is likely that this action is just the first of many that the Trump administration and new Congress will take to restrict women’s access to reproductive health care both at home and abroad.
The Global Gag Rule makes it extremely difficult for international family planning organizations to provide comprehensive care to women and girls in need. Often, these organizations are working in settings where unmet need for family planning is high and women and girls experience high rates of unsafe abortion. Restrictions on access to reproductive health care do nothing to help women attain the services they need and lead healthy lives. In fact, they do the exact opposite by pushing services farther out of reach.
Women and girls from across the globe are watching. Actions like this will not keep us from fighting for our reproductive freedom and human rights.
About the GGR: The Global Gag Rule prohibits organizations that receive U.S. international family planning funding from engaging in any activities related to abortion. They cannot even use their own non-U.S. funds to lobby for or against abortion, speak about abortion issues, provide referrals or information on where to get a safe abortion, or provide abortion care.
The United States is the single largest bilateral donor of international family planning funding. Today, the Center for American Progress released an issue brief detailing how the the Global Gag Rule puts an undue burden on U.S.-funded health care providers and women seeking their services.
For more information or to speak to an expert, contact Chelsea Kiene at [email protected] or 202.478.5328.
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