ODI Global
Nov 24, 2025

Based on three case studies from across the African continent, this research explores the politics of anti-gender backlash against sexual and reproductive health and rights. By sharing insights from three country contexts: The Gambia, Kenya and Sierra Leone, these case studies offer a clear analysis of the salient economic, social, political and cultural factors that defined the legislative outcomes of rights-based initiatives in each nation.

Each paper sets out to understand the stakeholder motivations, political economy and foreign influences that shaped the debates over three legislative proposals relating to LGTBQI+ rights, access to safe abortion, and a ban on FGM. Within a context of intensifying backlash to women’s rights in a world defined by rollbacks to legal protections and slashed spending on ODA, this research aims to support international development actors seeking to better assess opportunities and obstacles to their initiatives on gender rights.

Continued: https://odi.org/en/about/our-work/gender-equality-and-social-inclusion/research-series-navigating-the-politics-of-backlash-to-sexual-and-reproductive-rights/