Biden & Harris Win US Election

The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) congratulates US President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on their victory.

It is hard to overstate the global damage to sexual and reproductive health and rights by the Trump Administration, and the global effort and collaboration which will be required under the new Democratic administration to undo the harm.

The US Global Gag Rule remains the greatest of threats to sexual and reproductive healthcare. IPPF calls on the new administration to keep its word of signing an executive order on his first day in office to repeal the harmful Global Gag Rule aka the Mexico City Policy. Further to this, we are counting on the new administration to push for a permanent repeal to this policy so that the shadow of it no longer hangs over communities around the world.

IPPF refused to sign the Global Gag Rule because it would not be coerced or threatened into abandoning its support for access to vital safe and legal abortion care for women around the world.

The consequent loss of US funding for sexual and reproductive healthcare affected 53 projects in 32 countries, severely impacted proven programs that provided comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services for millions of people, especially women and girls, and marginalized communities.

“Today the people of the United States have voted for change and progress.

For the past four years, the United States has been governed by macho-politics, undermining the international standing of the US and its reputation as a global leader and champion of human rights.

We very much look forward to working with the Biden Administration and we will be pushing for the permanent repeal of the global gag rule; and with that to ensuring that sexual and reproductive healthcare is a reality for everyone, everywhere.”

IPPF Director-General, DR Alvaro Bermejo