African countries are trying to liberalize their abortion laws. Trump’s ‘global gag rule’ is making that difficult.

African countries are trying to liberalize their abortion laws. Trump’s ‘global gag rule’ is making that difficult.
Activists say the policy has forced some countries to take a step backward

Abigail Higgins
March 5, 2020

In 2016, churches in the small southeastern African country of Malawi did something surprising: They backed a law to expand abortion access.

At the time, Reverend Alex Benson Maulana, chair of the Malawi Council of Churches (MCC), said that abortion was still a sin. But Malawi was also facing a crisis: In a country with one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, 18 percent of those deaths were due to unsafe abortions.

Continued: https://www.thelily.com/african-countries-are-trying-to-liberalize-their-abortion-laws-trumps-global-gag-rule-is-making-that-difficult/


US abortion funding rule hurting health overseas, aid groups argue

US abortion funding rule hurting health overseas, aid groups argue

By Nicole Gaouette, CNN
Thu March 8, 2018

Washington (CNN)Less than a year after the Trump administration moved to cut funding for international organizations that provide women's reproductive health care and abortions, aid groups report they are beginning to see a host of negative impacts.

In Nigeria, health groups found greater difficulty accessing contraception, reduced access to health services, and an increasingly hostile environment for sexual and reproductive health rights.

Continued: https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/08/politics/global-gag-early-health-impact/index.html