🔗 Share this article A Quintet of Key Moments in the Rollback of the Freedoms of Women and Girls in the Year 2025. This time last year, groups dedicated to gender equality were anticipating a return of Donald Trump to office. The ensuing chaos was largely unforeseen. The volume and speed of presidential directives issued from the White House were viewed as a calculated strategy to induce a state of shock. In many ways it worked – there was confusion, anger and exhaustion as networks struggled to plug the hole left by a freeze on international development funds. But that was just the beginning. The Trump administration has been the main instigator, aided by intense advocacy work by ultra-conservative groups using the moment to forge international alliances with like-minded governments. The anti-rights movement refers to a global network of policymakers, doctrinal establishments, and activist outfits as well as billionaire families and individuals that strive to weaken advances on numerous fronts. This encompasses access to termination, gay and trans protections, alternative households, and factual sexual instruction. They accomplish their goals by lobbying governments, supporting court cases, discrediting international efforts to promote fairness, circulating falsehoods, and resourcing aligned NGOs. We review five episodes that shaped the welfare, autonomy, and survival of the female population. The Demise of a Major Aid Agency In March, shortly after a key American development organization is halted, causing turmoil around the world, a leading figure in the administration confirms that the lion's share of the organization's initiatives will be axed. American foreign service officers, past leaders and relief and public health authorities condemn the news, predicting that fatalities will ensue. Human rights advocates say that the closure of the organization is greater than a budgetary issue, it is a savage attack on human rights and birth control and maternal healthcare. A multitude of agencies say women and girls will be disproportionately affected by reduced funding, especially in regions of instability. As the year ends, reports confirm how a significant mortality toll has been exacted from sickness, hunger, poor pregnancy healthcare, and abuse targeting females, with a far greater catastrophe looming. Another pair of leading funders proceed with parallel slashes. A director of a global justice organization says a choice to reduce international development funding is a gesture of alignment with another government's agenda. Faith-Based Activists Mobilize at UN Conference In March, several faith-based advocacy networks meet in an luxury Manhattan venue for a two-day conference held in parallel with the UN's flagship gender equality meeting. It is an forum to discuss methods on how to defeat the UN’s “radical agenda”. They are in high spirits as they welcome new Washington directives on gender, diversity and abortion. Meanwhile, the UN secretary general opens the women’s summit with a somber alert that “the toxin of gendered hierarchy” is returning, after a report shows that anti-rights actors are systematically eroding longstanding consensus on core aspects of gender equality around the world. Summits Promoting Conservative Norms Over the warmer months, a series of conferences in Africa themed around the conservative family structures and national independence raises concerns among rights advocates. In early May, a national leader and spouse open a major forum to push back on what they label overseas agendas corrupting societal morals. A few days later, another Pan-African conference on conservative ethics is held. Both events are graced by leading American and European conservative activists, including leaders of well-known groups. One speaker calls on African NGOs to stand up to “worldwide progressive social restructuring” of multilateral bodies. In June, a global faith group hosts a family strengthening conference in an African nation, an event that health activists say has become a stage for criticizing gender equality. Advocates remark that the extent of foreign involvement has grown significantly. US Threat to Destroy Contraceptives As health facilities across Africa report they are depleting their stocks of family planning supplies, including post-rape care packages, the US announces in July plans to dispose of millions of dollars worth of contraceptives held in a storage facility in Belgium. A leading family planning organization states that their elimination will deprive millions of women and girls from access to birth control, and lead to a surge in unplanned pregnancies and dangerous terminations. The organization labels the plan an politically-motivated move “about imposing an anti-rights agenda on the entire world” and “a deliberate form of reproductive oppression”. A international emergency medical charity 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 unresolved as host nation officials will not allow usable products to be destroyed. Broader Restrictions on Aid Bringing back the anti-abortion funding ban, which halts US aid to groups that offer, promote, or give information about abortion services overseas, is commonplace under certain US administrations. It was anticipated when the rule was reinstated in the first month of the year. The administration also signed onto a conservative consensus document. But in October, the US announces it intends to broaden the scope of the policy to include governments and multilateral organisations in addition to NGOs, and to cover diversity programmes. Additional information regarding the broader enforcement are anticipated next year. A director of a major health partnership says widening the scope will have “unimaginable effects”. Advocates for bodily autonomy fear that fresh American assistance deals being negotiated with countries in Africa will become conditional on accepting the new, wider policy.
This time last year, groups dedicated to gender equality were anticipating a return of Donald Trump to office. The ensuing chaos was largely unforeseen. The volume and speed of presidential directives issued from the White House were viewed as a calculated strategy to induce a state of shock. In many ways it worked – there was confusion, anger and exhaustion as networks struggled to plug the hole left by a freeze on international development funds. But that was just the beginning. The Trump administration has been the main instigator, aided by intense advocacy work by ultra-conservative groups using the moment to forge international alliances with like-minded governments. The anti-rights movement refers to a global network of policymakers, doctrinal establishments, and activist outfits as well as billionaire families and individuals that strive to weaken advances on numerous fronts. This encompasses access to termination, gay and trans protections, alternative households, and factual sexual instruction. They accomplish their goals by lobbying governments, supporting court cases, discrediting international efforts to promote fairness, circulating falsehoods, and resourcing aligned NGOs. We review five episodes that shaped the welfare, autonomy, and survival of the female population. The Demise of a Major Aid Agency In March, shortly after a key American development organization is halted, causing turmoil around the world, a leading figure in the administration confirms that the lion's share of the organization's initiatives will be axed. American foreign service officers, past leaders and relief and public health authorities condemn the news, predicting that fatalities will ensue. Human rights advocates say that the closure of the organization is greater than a budgetary issue, it is a savage attack on human rights and birth control and maternal healthcare. A multitude of agencies say women and girls will be disproportionately affected by reduced funding, especially in regions of instability. As the year ends, reports confirm how a significant mortality toll has been exacted from sickness, hunger, poor pregnancy healthcare, and abuse targeting females, with a far greater catastrophe looming. Another pair of leading funders proceed with parallel slashes. A director of a global justice organization says a choice to reduce international development funding is a gesture of alignment with another government's agenda. Faith-Based Activists Mobilize at UN Conference In March, several faith-based advocacy networks meet in an luxury Manhattan venue for a two-day conference held in parallel with the UN's flagship gender equality meeting. It is an forum to discuss methods on how to defeat the UN’s “radical agenda”. They are in high spirits as they welcome new Washington directives on gender, diversity and abortion. Meanwhile, the UN secretary general opens the women’s summit with a somber alert that “the toxin of gendered hierarchy” is returning, after a report shows that anti-rights actors are systematically eroding longstanding consensus on core aspects of gender equality around the world. Summits Promoting Conservative Norms Over the warmer months, a series of conferences in Africa themed around the conservative family structures and national independence raises concerns among rights advocates. In early May, a national leader and spouse open a major forum to push back on what they label overseas agendas corrupting societal morals. A few days later, another Pan-African conference on conservative ethics is held. Both events are graced by leading American and European conservative activists, including leaders of well-known groups. One speaker calls on African NGOs to stand up to “worldwide progressive social restructuring” of multilateral bodies. In June, a global faith group hosts a family strengthening conference in an African nation, an event that health activists say has become a stage for criticizing gender equality. Advocates remark that the extent of foreign involvement has grown significantly. US Threat to Destroy Contraceptives As health facilities across Africa report they are depleting their stocks of family planning supplies, including post-rape care packages, the US announces in July plans to dispose of millions of dollars worth of contraceptives held in a storage facility in Belgium. A leading family planning organization states that their elimination will deprive millions of women and girls from access to birth control, and lead to a surge in unplanned pregnancies and dangerous terminations. The organization labels the plan an politically-motivated move “about imposing an anti-rights agenda on the entire world” and “a deliberate form of reproductive oppression”. A international emergency medical charity 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 unresolved as host nation officials will not allow usable products to be destroyed. Broader Restrictions on Aid Bringing back the anti-abortion funding ban, which halts US aid to groups that offer, promote, or give information about abortion services overseas, is commonplace under certain US administrations. It was anticipated when the rule was reinstated in the first month of the year. The administration also signed onto a conservative consensus document. But in October, the US announces it intends to broaden the scope of the policy to include governments and multilateral organisations in addition to NGOs, and to cover diversity programmes. Additional information regarding the broader enforcement are anticipated next year. A director of a major health partnership says widening the scope will have “unimaginable effects”. Advocates for bodily autonomy fear that fresh American assistance deals being negotiated with countries in Africa will become conditional on accepting the new, wider policy.