The Safe Abortion Advocacy Initiative – A Global South Engagement (SAIGE) expresses deep concern on the sweeping expansion of the Global Gag Rule (GGR) that will further disenfranchise the most vulnerable communities of the Global South, their women, girls and others who can get pregnant. We see this as a direct violation of the rights of citizens to the highest attainable standard of health as enshrined in national constitutions, policies and programmes; an attempt to dismantle the health sovereignty of nations; and the right of societies to determine health as a public good. The expanded GGR will have the most devastating impact on the poorest and most marginalised and will have to, unfortunately, be viewed as the boot on the necks of women and young people in the Global South.
On the ground, progress on gender equality and women’s rights was achieved by decades of efforts by women in order to achieve equal rights as citizens in the economic, social, political spheres in our countries. Gender equality necessitates action which actively provides for bodily autonomy and bodily integrity including sexual and reproductive health services, care and information. Non-provision of sexual and reproductive health amounts to discrimination against women. Equity and Inclusion initiatives call on us to ensure that systemic barriers are dismantled so as to ensure the participation and enjoyment of the benefits of development and progress by marginalised groups. The erosion of idealistic goals by short-term, self-interested, archaic ideological beliefs should be resisted by States and civil society.
How has the Global Gag Rule (GGR) expanded now and what does it mean?
Under the Trump administration, the policy was initially extended beyond family planning to all global health assistance including HIV/AIDS (PEPFER), maternal and child health, malaria, and infectious diseases, and further covering subgrantees of US funding. The policy was reinstated on 25 January 2025 after Trump resumed office for a second term. See the SAIGE Statement on reinstatement of the GGR on 25 January 2025 here.
International organisations like Amnesty and Guttmacher have documented the detrimental impacts of the expanded policy affecting the most marginalized first. Research shows stalled or reversed progress towards countries’ reproductive health outcomes, the ability to decide when and whether to have children and overall bodily autonomy of women and girls.
This new announcement further expands the policy to include gender and DEI initiatives and covers virtually all foreign assistance including humanitarian aid, economic support, bilateral and multilateral funding in all sectors to undermine equality, human rights and lifesaving health services and information worldwide. The recent announcement essentially holds the rest of the world hostage to US’s current anti-rights, anti-women, anti-poor, and anti-abortion propaganda ultimately sacrificing women’s health, rights, dignity and life, and further restricting the advancement of gender equality as well as diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
US Health Compacts and the expanded GGR
First, the US Government withdrew foreign aid including humanitarian assistance causing long-term disruption to health and protection services in Global South countries. Now, they are offering multi-year bilateral agreements laying out support for essential medicines and the health workforce targeting deficiencies in domestic funding, but with far-reaching and devastating conditions attached. It is reported by news sources that health compacts entered with certain governments impose conditions that drastically impinge on national sovereignty (including long-term rights to critical minerals and natural resources) as well as data of citizens at country level. While several compacts have already been signed with governments in Africa, over 50 more agreements are aimed in the near future with countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America.
There is an imminent risk of the expanded GGR to be weaved into these agreements, potentially extending to gender equality initiatives, modern contraceptive methods and post abortion care which are currently provided for as emergency life-saving services.
What can we expect?
Simply put, countries signing the new compacts will be opening their countries up to a new form of ruthless, extractive neo-colonialism. Additionally the expanded GGR will further undermine equality measures in our societies and cause severe power imbalances including limiting health care access in the poorest communities in the Global South. Over the decades, countries across the globe have been putting in place legislation, policies and programmes to reduce preventable maternal deaths.
This is because we value the lives of women, girls, and other persons who can get pregnant, and our policy choices are based on scientifically proven pathways to reducing maternal mortality. Policy priorities at national levels must be substantiated by evidence rather than assertions, opinions and speculations. Hence the expanded policy is a direct and unjustifiable attack on the health and human rights of millions, and places a disproportionate and unacceptable burden on marginalised and vulnerable women and girls, who should not be made to pay the price.
How should we resist the policy? What is our call?
- We urge all State and non-State actors to act together and collaboratively resist the politicisation of foreign aid and neo-colonisation of the Global South that jeopardise the rights of women and the most vulnerable.
- Civil Society Organisations and Human Rights Advocates of the Global South should stay vigilant and hold their governments accountable about the potential repercussions of the US Health Compacts and call for wide multi- stakeholder consultations considering diverse representations and demand participation in decision making processes.
- Donors including bilaterals and multilaterals, donor governments and private philanthropies must step up and recognise this as an attack on the most marginalised and vulnerable of women, girls, and those who can get pregnant, and fund organisations to protect, promote and fulfill sexual and reproductive health and rights.
- Governments need to step up and protect the reproductive health and rights of women, girls, and those who can get pregnant in accordance with international human rights standards and commitments that they have acceded to as sovereign nations.
- Governments need to ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services including information and education, especially for the most marginalised as a measure of social justice in keeping with commitments made towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, the Programme of Action of the ICPD, the Beijing Platform for Action, CEDAW, its recommendations and Pact for the Future.
- UN agencies must continue to defend abortion rights and ensure that the highest standards for health and rights are being upheld by member States in keeping with commitments made towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, the Programme of Action of the ICPD, the Beijing Platform for Action, CEDAW, its recommendations and Pact for the Future.
- Human rights advocates have to stand behind the issue of access to safe abortion and we must not lose focus of the activism, advocacy, and systemic changes happening on the ground in the Global South as we speak.
- Human rights and SRHR advocates must mobilise and galvanise grassroots movements to uphold health and rights by making cross-movement collaborations with gender, intersectional rights movements and decriminalisation campaigns.
Endorsements
Individuals
- Hasini Rupasinghe
- Sushma Shrestha
- Sanskriti Pandey
- Riju Banerjee
- Ahmad Fazri
- Mong Owa Ching Marma
- Sarah Indiana Karmani
- Sumaiya Afroj
- Aarushi Jaiswal
- Theerasak Pengyim
- Hira Amjad, DASTAK Foundation
- Nomin Gerelbat
- Phyu Nwe Win
- Adventhius Immanuel Karo Karo
- Jin Tanaka
- Aadhar Babu Khatiwada
- Eden-Joy Kalom
- Supachara Mondee
- Pham Huyen Trang
- Riju Dhakal
- Chonthita Kraisrikul
- Soth Peosamnang from Cambodia Young Key Population Network
- Shivani Bhatt
- Dev Nagar, Climate Xero
- Debanjana Choudhuri
- Erfaan Hussein Babak – The Awakening Pakistan
- Pratima Gurung
- Sumanjari Pradhan
- Maheen Khan
- Nyein Chan Min Lwin
- Atia Hussain EcoArtisan
- David Bawi Tha Sang
- Md Sabbir Hossen
- Tasfia Tarannum Ridhita
- Victoria Oluoma Madukwem
- Tasha Muyira
- Thet Thet Yadanar Thein
- PETER NGUAFAC TEMATE FONGEH
- Harini Fernando
- Md Sumsul Islam Polok Eva
- Kuhoo Tiwari, One Future Collective
- Vandita Morarka, One Future Collective
- Mohani Niza
- Dr TOTONGNON Cossi Raphaêl
- Kumar Sahayaraju
- Uttanshi Agarwal, One Future Collective
- BIO YERIMA Lafia Houchamou
- Aung Tin Myint
- Huỳnh Nguyễn Ánh Mai
- Palden Wangchuk Dorji
- Pallawish Kumar
- Roshini Methusala
- Dr. Laxmi Tamang
- Dr Nadirah Babji
- Dr EWAGNIGNON Emmanuel
- tThilaga sSulkathireh
- Mitch Yusof
- Prof. Dr. Rashidah Shuib
- Ana Jonessy
- Regita Gurung
- Arshiya Kochar, One Future Collective
- Smruti Sudha
- Dania Amani
- Jojana Christine General
- Christine Wambua
- Mega Maskey
- Aliza Singh
- Pooja Tilvawala
- Shweta Karna
- Anjali Shenoi
- Dr. Alka Barua
- Ornael Mikhael DJEMBO (Dr. / PhD)
- AHO Régina
- Camari Serau
- Majo Corvalán
- Rita santhor
- Bhawana Pradhan
- Dr. Anirudh Janagam
- Barnabas Nabulizi
- Swastika Parajuli
- Shanta Laxmi Shrestha
- Mansingh Aidee
- Jetro Geraldino Resonar
- Kurt Ryan David Encabo
Organisations and Networks
- The Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW)
- Gender Based Violence Prevention and Response Network Vietnam (GBVNet)
- DASTAK Women Rights and Awareness Foundation, Pakistan
- Associate of Karenni Policy Support
- Gender in Humanitarian Action Working Group
- Youth Leadership Confederation of Thailand (YLCT)
- arian Action Working
- Y-peer Mongolia, National Coordinator
- Federation of Reproductive Health Associations, Malaysia (FRHAM)
- Vietnam network of People living with HIV (VNP+)
- Tamtang Foundation, Thailand
- Climate Xero, India
- Pink Heels Network, Vietnam
- Y-PEER Vietnam
- Tomoko Ikuta
- The Awakening, Pakistan
- Alamin, Bangladesh
- For The Light, Bangladesh
- National Indigenous Disabled Women Association Nepal (NIDWAN)
- Pakistan institute of development economics
- YUWA, Nepal
- Centre for Social Policy Development (CSPD), Pakistan
- All in Foundation (AIF)
- EcoArtisan Pakistan
- Sanggar Swara Indonesia
- TransEnd, Bangladesh
- Women on Web
- The Trust And Support Foundation
- Fem Alliance Uganda
- YPEER Youth Network Myanmar
- Social Harmonic Initiative Network (SHIN)
- Nguyen Thi Ngoc Huyen, Project Coordinator, Green Chenh Venh Vietnam
- VISION ION ACTION CAMEROON
- COLLEGE NATIONAL DES GYNECOLOGUES OBSTETRICIENS DU BENIN
- HEALTH INVESTMENT VALUATION
- Coastal Students Cultural Forum
- Coalition of Youth Organizations for Safe Abortion in Benin
- CrossBorder Youth Alliance
- Affasa, Bangladesh
- Ocean and climatic research institute in Solomons, Sri lanka and Fiji
- Youth 4 Climate Action Project- Global NGO
- Y-PEER Bhutan
- Beyond Beijing Committee
- Midwifery Society of Nepal
- Justice for Sisters
- Reproductive Rights Advocacy Alliance Malaysia (RRAAM)
- Life Under Umbrella, Malaysia
- SEED Malaysia
- Reproductive Health Association of Kelantan
- HUSH Collective
- Queer Voices of Bhutan
- Global Shapers Thimphu Hub
- Community of Organized and Empowered Lesbians, Bisexual Women, Queer, and Trans Men in the Philippines (CONEQT PH)
- Action for Resilient Adaptation and Nature-based Energy Alternatives (ARANYA)
- SIS Forum (Malaysia)
- Youth Climate Collaborative
- The International Network for the Reduction of Abortion Discrimination and Stigma (Inroads)
- Barokupot Ganochetona Foundation-BGF, Bangladesh
- Perkumpulan Lintas Feminis Jakarta (Jakarta Feminist)
- Centre for Girls and Interaction (CEGI) Malawi
- CommonHealth, India
- Youth Network for Community and Sustainable Development (YNCSD), Nigeria.
- Association Congolaise pour les Droits et la Santé / Congolese Association for the Rights and Health (République du Congo / Republic of Congo)
- ADEM ASOCIACIÓN POR LOS DERECHOS DE LAS MUJERES- ARGENTINA. ADEM Women’s Rights Association – Argentina.
- Circle of Young Minds for Research and Development Career
- MONFEMNET National Network
- Youth for Reproductive Health Awareness – Misamis Oriental
- ILUSTRADOS – DAVAO CITY