Leadnaija
President Donald Trump announced on Friday the restoration of U.S. participation in two major international anti-abortion agreements, utilizing his executive authority to make the changes. This decision has reignited debates over the role of U.S. funding in global reproductive health.
One of the agreements reinstated by Trump is the Mexico City Policy, a controversial directive that cuts off U.S. family planning funds for foreign organizations if they provide or promote abortion services. Critics often refer to it as the “global gag rule,” arguing that it stifles abortion advocacy and restricts access to comprehensive healthcare.
“The United States should not use taxpayer dollars to support or promote programs that include coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization,” Trump stated in a memorandum directing Secretary of State Marco Rubio to implement the policy.
Originally established in 1984 by President Ronald Reagan, the Mexico City Policy has historically been a political flashpoint, rescinded by Democratic presidents and reinstated under Republican administrations. Abortion remains one of the most polarizing issues in U.S. politics, with its prominence underscored during the 2024 presidential campaign that secured Trump’s victory.
In 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark *Roe v. Wade* decision, eliminating a constitutional right to abortion and leaving regulation to individual states. Trump’s reinstatement of the Mexico City Policy further solidifies his administration’s anti-abortion stance.
Critics of the policy, including Democrats and abortion rights advocates, argue that it disrupts access to broader healthcare services. “The global gag rule has been shown to increase unwanted pregnancies and abortions,” said Janeen Madan Keller, a policy fellow at the Center for Global Development. “Broadly speaking, these decisions are going to set the United States back in advancing gender equality.”
Madan Keller added that limiting access to reproductive healthcare can have long-term social and economic consequences for women and girls. “By restricting these resources, you hinder their ability to complete school and enter the workforce,” she explained.
In addition to the Mexico City Policy, Secretary Rubio announced the United States’ reentry into the Geneva Consensus Declaration, an anti-abortion pact co-sponsored by the U.S., Brazil, Uganda, Egypt, Hungary, and Indonesia in 2020 during Trump’s first term. Critics argue that the declaration seeks to limit abortion access for millions of women and girls worldwide.
According to Rubio, the Geneva Consensus Declaration promotes better healthcare for women while emphasizing the preservation of human life. “This declaration strengthens the family as the foundational unit of society and reinforces the sovereignty of each nation to make its own decisions regarding abortion laws,” he said.
The announcement has sparked backlash from abortion rights groups, who say these measures undermine international efforts to improve gender equality and access to healthcare. Proponents, however, argue that the policies reflect the administration’s commitment to protecting life and promoting traditional family values.Tap Here for the Full Story
