Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Development Cooperation Alexander De Croo will organise an international conference on sexual and reproductive health and rights of women on March 2nd. The conference “She Decides” is part of the ‘She Decides Global Fundraising Initiative’, launched by the Dutch Minister of Trade and Development Cooperation Liliane Ploumen following American President Donald Trump’s reintroduction of the Mexico City Policy or so-called ‘Global Gag Rule’.
More than 600 million dollars of family planning support is under threat by the Global Gag Rule. Because of that, millions of girls and women risk losing access to contraceptives and other sexual and reproductive health services in the years to come, with all consequences for their health and development chances.
The rule prohibits development organisations receiving American development aid to inform women about the possibility of abortion, to refer them to a clinic or to collaborate with other organisations that do so. Even if abortion is legal in a country or if those activities are financed by non-American funds. Organisations that do not subscribe to the rule lose all financial support, thus the name of the rule: ‘to Gag’ or silence. The rule will hurt international NGOs such as the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and Marie Stopes International (MSI) and their local partners in the South.
The funding gap created by the GGR comes on top of the existing unmet need for family planning. 225 million women worldwide want to prevent or delay pregnancy but lack access to contraception.
In September 2015 the UN Member States, including the USA, committed to the realisation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Gender equality is a central goal of the 2030 Agenda, one of the targets being to ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights. The GGR undermines this global commitment. The ‘She Decides’ initiative and conference are an important step to change the tide and safeguard the rights of women worldwide.
The rule prohibits development organisations receiving American development aid to inform women about the possibility of abortion, to refer them to a clinic or to collaborate with other organisations that do so. Even if abortion is legal in a country or if those activities are financed by non-American funds. Organisations that do not subscribe to the rule lose all financial support, thus the name of the rule: ‘to Gag’ or silence. The rule will hurt international NGOs such as the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and Marie Stopes International (MSI) and their local partners in the South.
The funding gap created by the GGR comes on top of the existing unmet need for family planning. 225 million women worldwide want to prevent or delay pregnancy but lack access to contraception.
In September 2015 the UN Member States, including the USA, committed to the realisation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Gender equality is a central goal of the 2030 Agenda, one of the targets being to ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights. The GGR undermines this global commitment. The ‘She Decides’ initiative and conference are an important step to change the tide and safeguard the rights of women worldwide.
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