Biden additionally would not waste time on reproductive well being and plans to raise the worldwide gag rule

By On Jan 21, 2021

Trump’s version of Mexico City policy applied not just to federal family planning grants, but to all of US global health assistance. That means it was up to $ 10 billion in funding, not $ 600 million.

Since organizations that care about the quality and integrity of the reproductive health care they offer not only refuse to share their options with women, the global gag rule reduces the resources available to the best carers. “We need to stop telling women and girls when they come to our clinic what options they have, ”the Advocacy Director of International Planned Parenthood told NPR in 2017 about Trump’s policy. “And we can’t.”

The lack of reproductive care is a major problem for women around the world – “Approximately 295,000 women died during and after pregnancy and childbirth in 2017,” according to the WHO. More than 800 women died every day from preventable pregnancy-related causes. Quality care is urgently needed, and the global gag rule is brushing funding for many of the organizations that provide it.

This is typical Republican policy in that it is about reducing abortion, but according to one study:

Restricting US aid to family planning organizations, especially those that view abortion as a method of family planning, is increasing abortion rates in sub-Saharan Africa. Abortion rates among women in policy-hit countries rose by 4.8 abortions per 10,000 women-years.
The Mexico City policy reduces contraceptive use and increases pregnancies as well. The study found a symmetrical reduction in the use of modern contraceptives (relative decrease of 13.5 percent) and an increase in pregnancies (12 percent) when the directive was passed.

Biden wasn’t known as a longtime advocate of reproductive freedom, but as president he’s doing the right thing. According to Fauci, our policies will be to support the sexual and reproductive health of women and girls, as well as reproductive rights in the US and worldwide. To this end, President Biden will repeal Mexico City policy in the coming days to protect women’s health and promote gender equality at home and abroad. “

Congress must pass a law that removes the global gag rule so that it is not constantly introduced under Republican administrations and rejected under Democratic ones.