President Trump aims to withhold $600 million in U.S. aid for family planning and abortion services in developing countries. Dutch Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Minister Lilianne Ploumen swiftly mobilized an international response.
This policy, known as the Mexico City Policy or Global Gag Rule, was reinstated by George W. Bush and repealed by Barack Obama. Evidence shows it fails to reduce abortions; instead, it restricts organizations providing contraception and safe reproductive care, driving women toward unsafe back-alley procedures and higher maternal mortality rates. Organizations like Marie Stopes International face severe funding losses, projecting 6.5 million unwanted pregnancies, 2.2 million unsafe abortions, and 21,700 preventable maternal deaths over the next four years.
Minister Ploumen expressed deep disappointment, noting it could undo years of progress. She's spearheading a global fund to ensure women in developing nations access reliable contraception, information, and safe abortion services. 'We must compensate for this financial blow as much as possible with a broadly supported fund where governments, companies, and civil society can contribute,' she said. 'So women can remain in control of their own bodies.'
