By Meghaa Gangahar
21st January 2017 saw a spectacular display of solidarity for womens rights throughout the world. As Donald Trump was being sworn into office as the President of the United States of America, womens marches were taking place worldwide as a motion of protest. It is exactly two days after that the newly crowned President Donald Trump hit back. He took to his pen and attacked womens rights all across the world.
Among others, Donald Trump signed the “Global Gag Rule” on 23rd Jan 2017 | Photo Courtesy: The NationPersisting narratives since 1984
On 23rd January, Trump signed an executive order that prohibits international NGOs from receiving US funding if they offer any health and family planning services which include, or give out any information pertaining to abortion. Even if the NGOs use their independent funding for abortion-related services, their US funds for other services will be cut off nonetheless.
The rule, also known as the Mexico City Policy, or the Global Gag Rule, is one that has been resurrected from the presidential era of Ronald Reagan.
Reagans pro-life legacy dates back to 1984. However since then, depending on the ideological preferences of the party in powerit has been followed and dismissed over the years. The rule was last revoked by the Obama government in 2009.
A disaster awaits
The US is the largest contributor towards global health efforts. The United States Agency for International Development makes donations of over $3 billion per year; while US aid given internationally for family planning and reproductive health programs is estimated at about $600 million per year. Rescinding these funds would spell disaster for millions of people.
[su_pullquote align=”right”]The president of the Family Planning Association of Nepal, Amu Singh Sijapati, has also expressed concern[/su_pullquote]
One of the groups that have refused to abide by the gag rule is the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), which stands to lose up to $100 million due to thisnone of which is used for abortion services. The president of the Family Planning Association of Nepal, Amu Singh Sijapati, has also expressed concern. She states that her organisation will lose the funds that they used to train healthcare workers, conduct mobile health days, and to open clinics offering safe contraception in remote parts of the country.
A chain reaction
Organisations believe that healthcare services are incomplete without providing safe options for abortion and contraception. The implementation of such a rule will put thousands of healthcare workers worldwide in a dilemma. They’ll be forced to decide between critical funding and choosing to provide safe family planning services.
[su_pullquote]The move could affect the provision of other life-saving treatments (such as the ones for HIV and Zika), as well as the groups helping to prevent child and maternal mortality[/su_pullquote]
The move could affect the provision of other life-saving treatments (such as the ones for HIV and Zika), as well as the groups helping to prevent child and maternal mortality. Contrary to its claim, this regressive policy will not decrease the number of abortions. It will instead increase the number of unsafe ones. The lack of safe abortion options will encourage women to resort to unsafe methods that have severe health risks and are currently a major cause of maternal deaths.
The irony that never gives
Another initiative limiting womens choice of giving birth has been introduced in the form of a bill in the US Congress. This bill seeks to assert that all human life should be deemed to begin at fertilisation; essentially giving civil rights to a foetus.
The implication of this would be that abortion would become a punishable offence in the US, making any kind of abortion rights redundant. The irony lies in the fact that all the sponsors of this bill in the Congress, happen to belong to a gender whose health is least affected by the consequences of the bill.