@thekarynne
The GGR is a destructive U.S. foreign policy that obstructs global health and human rights around the world
The Global Gag Rule (GGR) is a destructive, neocolonial, and inhumane U.S. foreign policy that obstructs global efforts to promote health and advance human rights.
In January 2025, President Donald Trump reinstated the GGR as one of his first actions in office, once again restricting access to essential health care worldwide. The policy mandates that foreign nongovernmental organizations receiving certain categories of U.S. foreign assistance cannot provide, refer for, or counsel on abortion as a method of family planning. It also prohibits these organizations from engaging in abortion rights advocacy, even when using their own, non-U.S. funds.
The harm caused by the GGR is immediate and long-lasting. It disrupts health systems, forces clinics to close, limits access to contraception and maternal care, and deepens inequalities—particularly for marginalized communities. The international sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice (SRHRJ) movement continues to resist these attacks and push for policies that ensure SRHR are respected, protected, and fulfilled.
Now more than ever, bold action is needed to mitigate the GGR’s devastating impact and advance sexual and reproductive rights globally. U.S. policymakers, donors, and global health leaders must work together to uphold these rights, counteract the damage, and fight for a future where access to essential health care is not dictated by political agendas.
Get a better understanding of the GGR and its impact through these digital resources:
Prescribing Chaos in Global Health
