đ Share this article A Quintet of Key Moments in the Rollback of the Freedoms of Women and Girls in 2025. Twelve months prior, organisations advocating for women's rights were bracing themselves for a return of Donald Trump to office. The ensuing chaos was largely unforeseen. The flood and velocity of executive orders emanating from the White House were regarded as a calculated strategy to induce a state of shock. The tactic proved effective â there was confusion, anger and exhaustion as networks struggled to compensate for the loss left by a freeze on international development funds. But that was just the beginning. The Trump administration has been the key driver, supported by intense advocacy work by far-right organisations capitalizing on the climate to strengthen global ties with political allies. This opposition to progressive rights signifies a transnational grouping of government figures, churches, and advocacy collectives as well as affluent financiers and clans that aim to roll back progress across a wide spectrum of issues. Areas targeted involve access to termination, gay and trans protections, alternative households, and factual sexual instruction. They accomplish their goals by influencing policymakers, funding litigation, undermining global initiatives to promote fairness, circulating falsehoods, and resourcing aligned NGOs. We review five episodes that impacted the safety, dignity and lives of females globally. The Dismantling of USAID In early spring, a month and a half following a major US aid agency is halted, causing turmoil around the world, a leading figure in the administration states that nearly all of the institution's work will be scrapped. Career diplomats, former presidents and humanitarian and health experts decry the decision, cautioning that lives will be lost. Rights defenders say that the closure of the organization is more than a funding crisis, it is a savage attack on human rights and access to contraception and reproductive health services. A multitude of agencies say females will bear the brunt by shrinking assistance, especially in conflict areas. As the year ends, statistics reveal how a significant mortality toll has been exacted from illness, famine, inadequate obstetric services, and violence against women, with a far greater catastrophe looming. Another pair of leading funders announce their own austerity measures. A head of a worldwide campaign network says a choice to reduce international development funding is a move to appease a political ally. Conservative Religious Groups Lobby at UN Women Meeting In the same month, several conservative religious groups meet in an high-end hotel in NYC for a biannual gathering held concurrently with the annual UN Women gathering. It is an forum to discuss methods on how to counter the UN's progressive policies. They are in high spirits as they celebrate new Washington directives on social issues and termination of pregnancy. Meanwhile, the UN secretary general opens the gender equality forum with a somber alert that âthe poison of patriarchyâ is resurgent, after a study indicates that opponents of gender equality are systematically eroding longstanding consensus on core aspects of gender equality around the world. African âFamily Valuesâ Conferences Over the summer, a series of conferences in Africa themed around the traditional family and national sovereignty sparks alarm among equality campaigners. In the start of May, a national leader and spouse open a large assembly to resist what they label criminal foreign forces eroding traditional family values. A shortly thereafter, another continental gathering on family values is held. Both events are participated in by leading US and European anti-rights figures, including presidents of prominent organizations. One speaker urges African NGOs to push back against âradical global social engineeringâ of international organizations. In the following month, a prominent church hosts a event focused on reinforcing families in an African nation, an event that health activists say has become a forum for opposing queer and trans rights. Activists observe that the level of external participation has increased markedly. Contraceptive Destruction Order As medical centers in numerous African countries report they are facing shortages of birth control, including post-rape care packages, the US announces in July plans to destroy a significant cache of reproductive health commodities held in a European depot. A leading family planning organization states that their elimination will deprive millions of women and girls from contraceptive supplies, and lead to a public health crisis of unwanted pregnancies. The organization labels the plan an politically-motivated move âabout exporting a regressive policy worldwideâ and âa calculated move to control fertilityâ. A renowned doctors' group calls it âcallous and recklessâ. NGOs offer to buy the contraceptives so they can reach their intended destinations, but the US declines every proposal. The situation remains in deadlock as host nation officials are blocking usable products to be destroyed. âGlobal Gag Ruleâ Expanded Bringing back the anti-abortion funding ban, which cuts American funding for groups that provide, advocate for or advise on abortion services overseas, is commonplace under certain US administrations. It was widely expected when the policy was restored in the first month of the year. The administration also rejoined an international anti-abortion agreement. 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 include DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) projects. Further specifics about the policy's widened application are anticipated next year. A director of a major health partnership says widening the scope will have âunimaginable effectsâ. Advocates for bodily autonomy fear that fresh American assistance deals being arranged with states on the continent will become contingent upon adopting the new, wider policy.
Twelve months prior, organisations advocating for women's rights were bracing themselves for a return of Donald Trump to office. The ensuing chaos was largely unforeseen. The flood and velocity of executive orders emanating from the White House were regarded as a calculated strategy to induce a state of shock. The tactic proved effective â there was confusion, anger and exhaustion as networks struggled to compensate for the loss left by a freeze on international development funds. But that was just the beginning. The Trump administration has been the key driver, supported by intense advocacy work by far-right organisations capitalizing on the climate to strengthen global ties with political allies. This opposition to progressive rights signifies a transnational grouping of government figures, churches, and advocacy collectives as well as affluent financiers and clans that aim to roll back progress across a wide spectrum of issues. Areas targeted involve access to termination, gay and trans protections, alternative households, and factual sexual instruction. They accomplish their goals by influencing policymakers, funding litigation, undermining global initiatives to promote fairness, circulating falsehoods, and resourcing aligned NGOs. We review five episodes that impacted the safety, dignity and lives of females globally. The Dismantling of USAID In early spring, a month and a half following a major US aid agency is halted, causing turmoil around the world, a leading figure in the administration states that nearly all of the institution's work will be scrapped. Career diplomats, former presidents and humanitarian and health experts decry the decision, cautioning that lives will be lost. Rights defenders say that the closure of the organization is more than a funding crisis, it is a savage attack on human rights and access to contraception and reproductive health services. A multitude of agencies say females will bear the brunt by shrinking assistance, especially in conflict areas. As the year ends, statistics reveal how a significant mortality toll has been exacted from illness, famine, inadequate obstetric services, and violence against women, with a far greater catastrophe looming. Another pair of leading funders announce their own austerity measures. A head of a worldwide campaign network says a choice to reduce international development funding is a move to appease a political ally. Conservative Religious Groups Lobby at UN Women Meeting In the same month, several conservative religious groups meet in an high-end hotel in NYC for a biannual gathering held concurrently with the annual UN Women gathering. It is an forum to discuss methods on how to counter the UN's progressive policies. They are in high spirits as they celebrate new Washington directives on social issues and termination of pregnancy. Meanwhile, the UN secretary general opens the gender equality forum with a somber alert that âthe poison of patriarchyâ is resurgent, after a study indicates that opponents of gender equality are systematically eroding longstanding consensus on core aspects of gender equality around the world. African âFamily Valuesâ Conferences Over the summer, a series of conferences in Africa themed around the traditional family and national sovereignty sparks alarm among equality campaigners. In the start of May, a national leader and spouse open a large assembly to resist what they label criminal foreign forces eroding traditional family values. A shortly thereafter, another continental gathering on family values is held. Both events are participated in by leading US and European anti-rights figures, including presidents of prominent organizations. One speaker urges African NGOs to push back against âradical global social engineeringâ of international organizations. In the following month, a prominent church hosts a event focused on reinforcing families in an African nation, an event that health activists say has become a forum for opposing queer and trans rights. Activists observe that the level of external participation has increased markedly. Contraceptive Destruction Order As medical centers in numerous African countries report they are facing shortages of birth control, including post-rape care packages, the US announces in July plans to destroy a significant cache of reproductive health commodities held in a European depot. A leading family planning organization states that their elimination will deprive millions of women and girls from contraceptive supplies, and lead to a public health crisis of unwanted pregnancies. The organization labels the plan an politically-motivated move âabout exporting a regressive policy worldwideâ and âa calculated move to control fertilityâ. A renowned doctors' group calls it âcallous and recklessâ. NGOs offer to buy the contraceptives so they can reach their intended destinations, but the US declines every proposal. The situation remains in deadlock as host nation officials are blocking usable products to be destroyed. âGlobal Gag Ruleâ Expanded Bringing back the anti-abortion funding ban, which cuts American funding for groups that provide, advocate for or advise on abortion services overseas, is commonplace under certain US administrations. It was widely expected when the policy was restored in the first month of the year. The administration also rejoined an international anti-abortion agreement. 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 include DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) projects. Further specifics about the policy's widened application are anticipated next year. A director of a major health partnership says widening the scope will have âunimaginable effectsâ. Advocates for bodily autonomy fear that fresh American assistance deals being arranged with states on the continent will become contingent upon adopting the new, wider policy.