🔗 Share this article Five Key Moments in the Challenge to the Rights of Females in This Past Year. This time last year, organisations advocating for women's rights were anticipating a second Trump term. Hardly anyone anticipated. The sheer number and rapid pace of administrative decrees coming out of the White House were seen as a intentional maneuver to induce a state of shock. In many ways it worked – there was chaos, resentment, and burnout as agencies hastened to compensate for the loss left by a major funding freeze. But this merely marked the opening act. The Washington leadership has been the central catalyst, bolstered by fervent lobbying efforts by deeply conservative factions seizing the opportunity to build worldwide connections with ideological partners. The movement against gender equality denotes an international coalition of elected officials, faith-based bodies, non-governmental organisations as well as ultra-rich backers and donors that work to dismantle forward movement on multiple topics. Areas targeted involve reproductive choice, queer and transgender freedoms, diverse family models, and honest sex ed. They accomplish their goals by advocating to officials, financing legal challenges, sabotaging multilateral work to push for parity, disseminating propaganda, and supporting ideologically-matched groups. We examine five junctures that impacted the protection, honor, and existence of girls and women. USAID Dismantled In March, shortly after a key American development organization is halted, causing turmoil around the world, a senior US official reveals that nearly all of the agency’s programmes will be eliminated. Career diplomats, past leaders and humanitarian and health experts criticize the move, cautioning that mortality will increase. Activists say that the demise of the agency is not just a financial shortfall, it is a savage attack on human rights and access to contraception and reproductive health services. Many organisations say the impact on girls and women will be severe by reduced funding, especially in war zones. As the year ends, evidence indicates how a significant mortality toll has been exacted from disease, starvation, lack of access to maternal care and gender-based violence, with a far greater catastrophe looming. Another pair of leading funders proceed with parallel slashes. A leader of an international advocacy group says a decision to slash billions in overseas assistance is a gesture of alignment with another government's agenda. Conservative Religious Groups Lobby at UN Women Meeting In the same month, several Christian-right organisations meet in an luxury Manhattan venue for a strategic summit held in parallel 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 buoyant mood as they applaud shifts in US policy on social issues and termination of pregnancy. Meanwhile, the UN secretary general opens the women’s summit with a somber alert that “the poison of patriarchy” is back, after a study indicates that opponents of gender equality are deliberately weakening historic agreements on fundamental freedoms for women around the world. African ‘Family Values’ Conferences Over the summer, a series of conferences in Africa centered on the traditional family and national sovereignty sparks alarm among rights advocates. In early May, a head of state and partner open a major forum to combat what they label overseas agendas corrupting societal morals. A few days later, another regional summit on family values is held. Both events are attended by leading Western campaigners against gender ideology, including presidents of prominent organizations. One speaker exhorts African NGOs to stand up to “radical global social engineering” of global institutions. In June, a global faith group hosts a family strengthening conference in West Africa, an event that health activists say has become a stage for criticizing gender equality. Campaigners note that the level of external participation has increased markedly. American Plan to Burn Birth Control As health facilities across Africa report they are facing shortages of birth control, including emergency kits for survivors of sexual violence, the US announces in midsummer plans to dispose of millions of dollars worth of contraceptives held in a warehouse in Europe. A leading family planning organization states that their elimination will deprive a huge female population from contraceptive supplies, and lead to a public health crisis of unwanted pregnancies. The organization labels the plan an politically-motivated move “about imposing an anti-rights agenda on the entire world” and “a calculated move to control fertility”. A international emergency medical charity calls it “heartless and dangerous”. NGOs offer to buy the contraceptives so they can fulfill their original purpose, but the US refuses all offers. The situation remains unresolved as local authorities are blocking the destruction of viable medicines. Widening of the Anti-Abortion Policy Bringing back the anti-abortion funding ban, which cuts American funding for groups that provide, advocate for or advise on abortion services overseas, is typical of certain US administrations. It was anticipated when the policy was restored in January. The administration also reaffirmed membership in a pro-life declaration. But in October, the US announces it intends to broaden the scope of the policy to include national governments and international bodies in addition to NGOs, and to cover diversity programmes. Additional information regarding the policy's widened application are expected in early 2026. A leader in global maternal health says extending the reach will have “unimaginable effects”. Pro-choice activists fear that new US aid packages being arranged with states on the continent will become conditional on accepting the expanded global gag.
This time last year, organisations advocating for women's rights were anticipating a second Trump term. Hardly anyone anticipated. The sheer number and rapid pace of administrative decrees coming out of the White House were seen as a intentional maneuver to induce a state of shock. In many ways it worked – there was chaos, resentment, and burnout as agencies hastened to compensate for the loss left by a major funding freeze. But this merely marked the opening act. The Washington leadership has been the central catalyst, bolstered by fervent lobbying efforts by deeply conservative factions seizing the opportunity to build worldwide connections with ideological partners. The movement against gender equality denotes an international coalition of elected officials, faith-based bodies, non-governmental organisations as well as ultra-rich backers and donors that work to dismantle forward movement on multiple topics. Areas targeted involve reproductive choice, queer and transgender freedoms, diverse family models, and honest sex ed. They accomplish their goals by advocating to officials, financing legal challenges, sabotaging multilateral work to push for parity, disseminating propaganda, and supporting ideologically-matched groups. We examine five junctures that impacted the protection, honor, and existence of girls and women. USAID Dismantled In March, shortly after a key American development organization is halted, causing turmoil around the world, a senior US official reveals that nearly all of the agency’s programmes will be eliminated. Career diplomats, past leaders and humanitarian and health experts criticize the move, cautioning that mortality will increase. Activists say that the demise of the agency is not just a financial shortfall, it is a savage attack on human rights and access to contraception and reproductive health services. Many organisations say the impact on girls and women will be severe by reduced funding, especially in war zones. As the year ends, evidence indicates how a significant mortality toll has been exacted from disease, starvation, lack of access to maternal care and gender-based violence, with a far greater catastrophe looming. Another pair of leading funders proceed with parallel slashes. A leader of an international advocacy group says a decision to slash billions in overseas assistance is a gesture of alignment with another government's agenda. Conservative Religious Groups Lobby at UN Women Meeting In the same month, several Christian-right organisations meet in an luxury Manhattan venue for a strategic summit held in parallel 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 buoyant mood as they applaud shifts in US policy on social issues and termination of pregnancy. Meanwhile, the UN secretary general opens the women’s summit with a somber alert that “the poison of patriarchy” is back, after a study indicates that opponents of gender equality are deliberately weakening historic agreements on fundamental freedoms for women around the world. African ‘Family Values’ Conferences Over the summer, a series of conferences in Africa centered on the traditional family and national sovereignty sparks alarm among rights advocates. In early May, a head of state and partner open a major forum to combat what they label overseas agendas corrupting societal morals. A few days later, another regional summit on family values is held. Both events are attended by leading Western campaigners against gender ideology, including presidents of prominent organizations. One speaker exhorts African NGOs to stand up to “radical global social engineering” of global institutions. In June, a global faith group hosts a family strengthening conference in West Africa, an event that health activists say has become a stage for criticizing gender equality. Campaigners note that the level of external participation has increased markedly. American Plan to Burn Birth Control As health facilities across Africa report they are facing shortages of birth control, including emergency kits for survivors of sexual violence, the US announces in midsummer plans to dispose of millions of dollars worth of contraceptives held in a warehouse in Europe. A leading family planning organization states that their elimination will deprive a huge female population from contraceptive supplies, and lead to a public health crisis of unwanted pregnancies. The organization labels the plan an politically-motivated move “about imposing an anti-rights agenda on the entire world” and “a calculated move to control fertility”. A international emergency medical charity calls it “heartless and dangerous”. NGOs offer to buy the contraceptives so they can fulfill their original purpose, but the US refuses all offers. The situation remains unresolved as local authorities are blocking the destruction of viable medicines. Widening of the Anti-Abortion Policy Bringing back the anti-abortion funding ban, which cuts American funding for groups that provide, advocate for or advise on abortion services overseas, is typical of certain US administrations. It was anticipated when the policy was restored in January. The administration also reaffirmed membership in a pro-life declaration. But in October, the US announces it intends to broaden the scope of the policy to include national governments and international bodies in addition to NGOs, and to cover diversity programmes. Additional information regarding the policy's widened application are expected in early 2026. A leader in global maternal health says extending the reach will have “unimaginable effects”. Pro-choice activists fear that new US aid packages being arranged with states on the continent will become conditional on accepting the expanded global gag.