Five Defining Significant Developments in the Attack on the Rights of Women and Girls in the Past Year.
Twelve months prior, feminist advocacy groups were anticipating a new Trump administration. Few were prepared for. The sheer number and rapid pace of executive orders issued from the White House were seen as a intentional maneuver to overwhelm and create panic. In many ways it worked – there was disarray, outrage, and weariness as groups rushed to compensate for the loss left by a abrupt cessation of financial support. But this was only the precursor.
The Washington leadership has been the key driver, aided by relentless activism by far-right organisations using the moment to build worldwide connections with political allies.
The anti-rights movement signifies a transnational grouping of elected officials, faith-based bodies, non-governmental organisations as well as affluent financiers and clans that strive to weaken progress across a wide spectrum of issues. This covers pro-choice policies, equality for sexual minorities, gender identity recognition, and inclusive relationship teaching.
They achieve this through advocating to officials, financing legal challenges, sabotaging multilateral work to foster equity, propagating misinformation, and bankrolling sympathetic charities.
We analyze five instances that impacted the protection, honor, and existence of females globally.
The Dismantling of USAID
In March, shortly after a key American development organization is frozen, causing turmoil around the world, a leading figure in the administration confirms that nearly all of the institution's work will be scrapped. American foreign service officers, past leaders and aid and medical specialists criticize the move, cautioning that people will die as a result. Human rights advocates say that the dismantling of this institution is more than a funding crisis, it is a brutal assault on fundamental freedoms and family planning and reproductive care. Many organisations say women and girls will be disproportionately affected by diminishing aid, especially in regions of instability. As the year ends, reports confirm how a significant mortality toll has been exacted from disease, starvation, lack of access to maternal care and gender-based violence, with millions more to come. Another pair of leading funders proceed with parallel slashes. 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.
Conservative Religious Groups Lobby at UN Women Meeting
In the same month, several faith-based advocacy networks meet in an luxury Manhattan venue for a biannual gathering held in parallel with the annual UN Women gathering. It is an forum to discuss methods on how to oppose what they term a UN overreach. They are in buoyant mood as they applaud changes in American foreign policy on social issues and termination of pregnancy. Meanwhile, the world's top diplomat opens the women’s summit with a grave caution that “the toxin of gendered hierarchy” is resurgent, after a study indicates that anti-rights actors are deliberately weakening historic agreements on fundamental freedoms for women around the world.
Summits Promoting Conservative Norms
Over the warmer months, a series of conferences in Africa centered on the conservative family structures and national independence sparks alarm among human rights defenders. In the start of May, a head of state and partner open a large assembly to resist what they label criminal foreign forces eroding traditional family values. A soon after, another continental gathering on family values is held. Both events are graced by leading American and European conservative activists, including heads of influential networks. One speaker urges African NGOs to push back against “radical global social engineering” of global institutions. In June, a prominent church hosts a family strengthening conference in West Africa, an event that health activists say has become a forum for opposing queer and trans rights. Campaigners note that the level of external participation has increased markedly.
US Threat to Destroy Contraceptives
As medical centers in numerous African countries report they are facing shortages of birth control, including emergency kits for survivors of sexual violence, the US announces in July plans to dispose of a vast stockpile of birth control held in a European depot. A leading family planning organization states that their destruction will deny millions of women and girls from family planning options, 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 deliberate form of reproductive oppression”. A prominent medical humanitarian organization calls it “callous and reckless”. Aid groups propose purchasing the contraceptives so they can be distributed to those in need, but the US declines every proposal. The situation remains in deadlock as the regional government refuse to permit usable products to be destroyed.
Widening of the Anti-Abortion Policy
Reinstating the Mexico City Policy, which prohibits Washington's support for groups that provide, advocate for or advise on abortion services overseas, is standard practice for certain US administrations. It was anticipated when the rule was reinstated in January. The administration also signed onto a conservative consensus document. But in the autumn, the US announces it intends to expand the global gag rule to include national governments and international bodies in addition to NGOs, and to encompass equity and inclusion initiatives. Further specifics about the expansion of the rule are expected in early 2026. A leader in global maternal health says widening the scope will have “catastrophic impacts”. Reproductive justice campaigners fear that upcoming Washington funding agreements being negotiated with countries in Africa will become dependent on agreeing to the broadened restrictions.