| A permanent repeal of the Global Gag Rule (GGR) has received a major boost in the United States of America. During July the US House passed a bill called the State, Foreign Operation and Related Programs (SFOPS) which is a spending bill for 2022. This included important wins for global SRHR and and the possibility of a permanent repeal of the GGR. While this is an important milestone there are further steps that need to be taken for a permanent repeal. We commend the effective advocacy carried out by PPFA (Planned Parenthood Federation of America) that IPPF is proud to support, providing evidence and leveraging international political support. |
The global gag rule prevents non-governmental organisations (NGOs) who receive U.S. global health assistance from providing legal abortion services or referrals, while also barring advocacy for abortion law reform – even if it is done with the NGO’s own, non-U.S. funds. The policy allows access to abortion only in cases of rape, incest, or when a woman’s life is at risk.
Instituted by the Reagan administration in 1984, the policy has been passed on from one anti sexual and reproductive health administration to the next. President Trump re-imposed and radically expanded the policy – extending its harm and devastation to even more women and communities.
However, on the 28th of January, current US President Joe Biden rescinded the law. While this was an important first step, this is not a permanent eradication of the rule, and the threat of its return undermines sustainable progress on global health and gender equality, which reinforces the need to end this policy once and for all. Last month, a coalition of over 200 international civil society organisations released a joint statement calling for permanent repeal of the global gag rule.
Beyond moving towards historic progress to end the global gag rule, the House SFOPs bill removes the Helms Amendment restrictions on the use of U.S. foreign aid for abortion. In addition to these critical policy changes, the bill increases U.S. investments in global reproductive health programs, including nearly doubling U.S. contributions to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to $70 million and increasing funding for bilateral family planning programs to $760 million.
Following more than a decade of flat funding, these investments would help fulfil the unmet need for contraceptives among 218 million women in low- and middle-income countries.
IPPF’s United States Member Association, Planned Parenthood Federation of America has been tirelessly advocating and lobbying for this change. In a statement, President of PPFA, Alexis McGill Johnson said:
“For far too long, our nation has enforced neo-colonialist policies like the global gag rule that block people around the world from getting the health care they need. They deserve better from us, and this bill is a major step toward becoming a true partner to the global health care community. We thank Rep. Barbara Lee and other sexual and reproductive health champions in the House for their work to ensure all people can access the care they need to take full control of their bodies and their lives. Today’s legislation is long overdue, and we urge its swift passage in the Senate.”
Many studies have confirmed that the neocolonialist global gag rule devastates health care access for people around the world, especially for those who already face systemic barriers to care.(1)
IPPF is determined to continue supporting PPFA towards a permanent repeal of the Global Gag Rule.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/26410397.2020.1794412
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(19)30267-0/fulltext