🔗 Share this article Five Major Key Moments in the Attack on the Rights of Women and Girls in This Past Year. Twelve months prior, women’s rights organisations were preparing for a second Trump term. Few were prepared for. The torrent and swiftness of administrative decrees coming out of the White House were viewed as a premeditated approach to paralyze through overload. The tactic proved effective – there was disarray, outrage, and weariness as organisations scrambled to plug the hole left by a freeze on international development funds. But this was only the precursor. The American government has been the main instigator, bolstered by intense advocacy work by deeply conservative factions exploiting the situation to strengthen global ties with like-minded governments. The anti-rights movement denotes an international coalition of government figures, churches, and advocacy collectives as well as billionaire families and individuals that seek to undermine advances on numerous fronts. This covers access to termination, gay and trans protections, alternative households, and factual sexual instruction. They accomplish their goals by advocating to officials, financing legal challenges, sabotaging multilateral work to push for parity, disseminating propaganda, and supporting ideologically-matched groups. We review five instances that affected the welfare, autonomy, and survival of girls and women. The Demise of a Major Aid Agency In early spring, a month and a half following a major US aid agency is halted, causing turmoil around the world, a top American diplomat confirms that nearly all of the institution's work will be scrapped. American foreign service officers, past leaders and humanitarian and health experts denounce the action, cautioning that mortality will increase. Human rights advocates say that the demise of the agency is not just a financial shortfall, it is a brutal assault on fundamental freedoms and family planning and reproductive care. A multitude of agencies say women and girls will be disproportionately affected by shrinking assistance, especially in conflict areas. As the year ends, data shows how hundreds of thousands of people have already died from sickness, hunger, poor pregnancy healthcare, and abuse targeting females, with a far greater catastrophe looming. Additional key contributing countries initiate similar reductions. A director of a global justice organization says a decision to slash billions in overseas assistance is a gesture of alignment with another government's agenda. Faith-Based Activists Mobilize at UN Conference In the same month, several Christian-right organisations meet in an luxury Manhattan venue for a two-day conference held concurrently with the international conference on women's rights. It is an forum to discuss methods on how to counter the UN's progressive policies. They are in high spirits as they welcome shifts in US policy on gender, diversity and abortion. Meanwhile, the UN secretary general opens the global conference with a stark warning that “the venom of male dominance” is resurgent, after a report shows that anti-rights actors are systematically eroding established norms on fundamental freedoms for women around the world. African ‘Family Values’ Conferences Over the warmer months, a sequence of gatherings in Africa centered on the traditional family and national sovereignty sparks alarm among human rights defenders. In early May, a national leader and spouse open a large assembly to resist what they label criminal foreign forces eroding traditional family values. A soon after, another continental gathering on conservative ethics is held. Both events are attended by leading American and European conservative activists, including leaders of well-known groups. One speaker calls on African NGOs to stand up to “radical global social engineering” of multilateral bodies. In June, a prominent church hosts a family strengthening conference in an African nation, an event that pro-choice campaigners say has become a forum for opposing queer and trans rights. Advocates remark that the scale of their presence has increased markedly. American Plan to Burn Birth Control As clinics in sub-Saharan Africa report they are depleting their stocks of family planning supplies, including post-rape care packages, the US announces in July plans to incinerate a vast stockpile of birth control held in a European depot. A global sexual health network states that their elimination will deprive a huge female population from access to birth control, and lead to a surge in unplanned pregnancies and dangerous terminations. The organization labels the plan an ideological decision “about exporting a regressive policy worldwide” and “a calculated move to control fertility”. A renowned doctors' group calls it “heartless and dangerous”. NGOs offer to buy the contraceptives so they can be distributed to those in need, but the US rejects each bid. The situation remains in deadlock as local authorities refuse to permit the destruction of viable medicines. ‘Global Gag Rule’ Expanded Reviving the global gag rule, which halts US aid to groups that provide, advocate for or advise on abortion services overseas, is commonplace under certain US administrations. It came as no surprise when the policy was restored in January. The administration also signed onto a conservative consensus document. But in the autumn, the US announces it intends to extend the restrictions to include sovereign states and UN agencies in addition to NGOs, and to cover diversity programmes. Further specifics about the broader enforcement are anticipated next year. A director of a major health partnership says extending the reach will have “devastating consequences”. Reproductive justice campaigners fear that fresh American assistance deals being negotiated with countries in Africa will become dependent on agreeing to the expanded global gag.
Twelve months prior, women’s rights organisations were preparing for a second Trump term. Few were prepared for. The torrent and swiftness of administrative decrees coming out of the White House were viewed as a premeditated approach to paralyze through overload. The tactic proved effective – there was disarray, outrage, and weariness as organisations scrambled to plug the hole left by a freeze on international development funds. But this was only the precursor. The American government has been the main instigator, bolstered by intense advocacy work by deeply conservative factions exploiting the situation to strengthen global ties with like-minded governments. The anti-rights movement denotes an international coalition of government figures, churches, and advocacy collectives as well as billionaire families and individuals that seek to undermine advances on numerous fronts. This covers access to termination, gay and trans protections, alternative households, and factual sexual instruction. They accomplish their goals by advocating to officials, financing legal challenges, sabotaging multilateral work to push for parity, disseminating propaganda, and supporting ideologically-matched groups. We review five instances that affected the welfare, autonomy, and survival of girls and women. The Demise of a Major Aid Agency In early spring, a month and a half following a major US aid agency is halted, causing turmoil around the world, a top American diplomat confirms that nearly all of the institution's work will be scrapped. American foreign service officers, past leaders and humanitarian and health experts denounce the action, cautioning that mortality will increase. Human rights advocates say that the demise of the agency is not just a financial shortfall, it is a brutal assault on fundamental freedoms and family planning and reproductive care. A multitude of agencies say women and girls will be disproportionately affected by shrinking assistance, especially in conflict areas. As the year ends, data shows how hundreds of thousands of people have already died from sickness, hunger, poor pregnancy healthcare, and abuse targeting females, with a far greater catastrophe looming. Additional key contributing countries initiate similar reductions. A director of a global justice organization says a decision to slash billions in overseas assistance is a gesture of alignment with another government's agenda. Faith-Based Activists Mobilize at UN Conference In the same month, several Christian-right organisations meet in an luxury Manhattan venue for a two-day conference held concurrently with the international conference on women's rights. It is an forum to discuss methods on how to counter the UN's progressive policies. They are in high spirits as they welcome shifts in US policy on gender, diversity and abortion. Meanwhile, the UN secretary general opens the global conference with a stark warning that “the venom of male dominance” is resurgent, after a report shows that anti-rights actors are systematically eroding established norms on fundamental freedoms for women around the world. African ‘Family Values’ Conferences Over the warmer months, a sequence of gatherings in Africa centered on the traditional family and national sovereignty sparks alarm among human rights defenders. In early May, a national leader and spouse open a large assembly to resist what they label criminal foreign forces eroding traditional family values. A soon after, another continental gathering on conservative ethics is held. Both events are attended by leading American and European conservative activists, including leaders of well-known groups. One speaker calls on African NGOs to stand up to “radical global social engineering” of multilateral bodies. In June, a prominent church hosts a family strengthening conference in an African nation, an event that pro-choice campaigners say has become a forum for opposing queer and trans rights. Advocates remark that the scale of their presence has increased markedly. American Plan to Burn Birth Control As clinics in sub-Saharan Africa report they are depleting their stocks of family planning supplies, including post-rape care packages, the US announces in July plans to incinerate a vast stockpile of birth control held in a European depot. A global sexual health network states that their elimination will deprive a huge female population from access to birth control, and lead to a surge in unplanned pregnancies and dangerous terminations. The organization labels the plan an ideological decision “about exporting a regressive policy worldwide” and “a calculated move to control fertility”. A renowned doctors' group calls it “heartless and dangerous”. NGOs offer to buy the contraceptives so they can be distributed to those in need, but the US rejects each bid. The situation remains in deadlock as local authorities refuse to permit the destruction of viable medicines. ‘Global Gag Rule’ Expanded Reviving the global gag rule, which halts US aid to groups that provide, advocate for or advise on abortion services overseas, is commonplace under certain US administrations. It came as no surprise when the policy was restored in January. The administration also signed onto a conservative consensus document. But in the autumn, the US announces it intends to extend the restrictions to include sovereign states and UN agencies in addition to NGOs, and to cover diversity programmes. Further specifics about the broader enforcement are anticipated next year. A director of a major health partnership says extending the reach will have “devastating consequences”. Reproductive justice campaigners fear that fresh American assistance deals being negotiated with countries in Africa will become dependent on agreeing to the expanded global gag.