Q&A: What next for humanitarians and the global gag rule?

“There’s an earthquake. There’s somebody who’s been raped. You need to help the people, not check their credentials on the global gag.”

2 February 2026
Irwin Loy

Chaos, confusion, and more ethical dilemmas: Humanitarians are still trying to understand the impacts of a sweeping expansion to the so-called “global gag rule” on US funding.

The Trump administration expanded the on-again, off-again anti-abortion care directive known as the Mexico City policy to include nearly all foreign assistance, including humanitarian funding sent through UN agencies and international and local aid groups. The rules – announced on 23 January and published last week – also slap vague bans on programmes related to diversity and equity, and gender identity.

Continued: https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/interview/2026/02/02/qa-what-next-humanitarians-and-global-gag-rule

02.02.2026

Interviews/Podcasts

Beth Schlachter

diversity equity and inclusion

MSI Reproductive Choices

Trump expands policy banning aid to groups abroad that discuss or provide abortions

January 23, 2026
By Jonathan Lambert, NPR
3-Minute Listen, with transcript

For over four decades, Republican presidents have banned U.S. funds from going to groups that provide or promote abortion — and Democratic presidents have reversed the ban.

On Friday at the March for Life rally in Washington, D.C., Vice President JD Vance announced a major expansion of the policy. The Mexico City policy, named for where it was first unveiled, will now also bar funding to groups that promote "gender ideology" and diversity, equity and inclusion.

Continued; https://www.npr.org/2026/01/23/nx-s1-5683204/abortion-trump-mexico-city-policy

Trump administration to block foreign aid from those promoting abortion, DEI and gender identity

By MATTHEW LEE and ALI SWENSON
January 22, 2026

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is expanding its ban on U.S. foreign aid for groups supporting abortion services to include assistance going to international and domestic organizations and agencies that promote gender identity as well as diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

An administration official said Thursday that the State Department would release final rules that expand the scope of the “Mexico City” policy that has already severely reduced assistance to international organizations that provide abortion-related care. The policy was first established under President Ronald Reagan, rescinded by subsequent Democratic administrations and reinstated in Trump’s first term.

Continued: https://apnews.com/article/trump-foreign-aid-dei-gender-ideology-afbc10132dae462c368bab91671747eb

New US rules say countries with DEI policies are infringing human rights

By Daphne Psaledakis and Simon Lewis
November 21, 2025

WASHINGTON, Nov 20 (Reuters) - U.S. officials will consider enforcement of affirmative action policies and state subsidies for abortion as infringements when compiling the State Department’s annual human rights report, as President Donald Trump's administration seeks to reshape foreign policy in line with "America First" principles.

Under the Trump administration, the human rights issue has been repurposed to fit his priorities in favor of economic dealmaking and an agenda he sees as appealing to his MAGA base. That has included a complete overhaul of the State Department's human rights apparatus, which had long been the centerpiece of traditional U.S. promotion of democratic values.

Continued: https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/trump-administration-reshapes-state-department-human-rights-report-2025-11-20/

21.11.2025