The Global impact of the trump administration’s Executive Orders on SRHR

27 February, 2025

BlogSRHM Events

 

On Tuesday 25 February 2025, Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters (SRHM) hosted an insightful webinar where we discussed the global impact of the Trump Administration’s Executive Orders on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).

The webinar brought together global experts to discuss the far-reaching consequences of the Trump Administration’s Executive Orders on SRHR. The discussion highlighted the devastating impact of funding freezes, restrictive policies, and ideological attacks on sexual and reproductive healthcare, LGBTQ+ rights, and global health programmes.

This discussion is available to listen to on the SRHM Podcast, available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Key Insights from the Webinar

Mindy Jane Roseman (Director of International Law Programs and Director of the Gruber Program for Global Justice and Women’s Rights, Yale Law School and SRHM Associate Editor) provided an overview of the legal implications of Trump’s executive orders, emphasizing how they undermine judicial oversight and global health funding, particularly through policies like the Global Gag Rule and restrictions on USAID.

Onikepe Owolabi (Director of International Research, Guttmacher Institute) detailed the expanded scope of the Global Gag Rule, explaining how it blocks funding for organizations that provide or advocate for abortion services, even with non-U.S. funds. The pause on foreign assistance is already disrupting maternal health, contraception access, and HIV/AIDS programs worldwide.

Anand Tamang (Director of the Center for Research on Environment Health and Population Activities (CREHPA)) shared findings from a rapid assessment of U.S. funding freezes in Nepal, revealing severe disruptions in safe abortion services, maternal healthcare, and HIV treatment due to the closure of clinics.

Ali Miller (Professor in the Practice, Yale School of Public Health; Associate Professor (adjunct) Yale Law School; co-Director, Global Health Justice Partnership of the Yale Law and Public Health Schools) and Erika Castellanos (Executive Director of the Global Action for Trans Equality (GATE)) discussed the targeted attacks on transgender people, including policies that restrict gender-affirming care, legal recognition, and healthcare access. Erika Castellanos highlighted the closure of trans-specific healthcare clinics globally, emphasizing the urgent need for alternative funding.

Allan Maleche (Executive Director Kenya Legal and Ethical Issues Network (KELIN) and SRHM Editorial and Advisory Board Member) and Luisa Cabal (Director, Regional Support Team for Latin America and the Caribbean,
UNAIDS and SRHM Editorial and Advisory Board Member) addressed the wider public health crisis, warning that the funding freeze threatens HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and humanitarian aid, particularly in Latin America, Africa, and humanitarian crisis zones like Haiti.

The Call to Action

Panelists urged participants to:

  • Document and publicize the impact of the executive orders to drive advocacy.
  • Strengthen local and regional funding mechanisms to reduce dependence on U.S. aid.
  • Hold national governments accountable for upholding SRHR commitments.
  • Build cross-movement coalitions to counteract the global rise of anti-rights policies.

Despite the challenges, speakers emphasized resilience and collective action as key to resisting harmful policies and safeguarding sexual and reproductive rights globally.

In order to continue the conversation, we would like to welcome you to send us your blogs, commentaries, reviews, research and more. Please contact us at [email protected] or take a look at our instructions for authors to find out about publishing with the Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters Journal.

Watch the full recording here: