🔗 Share this article Five Major Crucial Incidents in the Rollback of the Rights of Women and Girls in the Year 2025. A year ago, organisations advocating for women's rights were anticipating a second Trump term. Scarcely anyone expected. The flood and velocity of administrative decrees coming out of the White House were regarded as a intentional maneuver to overwhelm and create panic. In many ways it worked – there was confusion, anger and exhaustion as agencies hastened to fill the gap left by a sudden aid suspension. But the situation was about to worsen. The American government has been the main instigator, bolstered by fervent lobbying efforts by ultra-conservative groups capitalizing on the climate to strengthen global ties with political allies. The anti-rights movement denotes an international coalition of government figures, churches, and advocacy collectives as well as wealthy philanthropists and dynasties that aim to roll back gains in a variety of areas. These include pro-choice policies, equality for sexual minorities, gender identity recognition, and inclusive relationship teaching. They pursue this agenda via advocating to officials, financing legal challenges, sabotaging multilateral work to foster equity, propagating misinformation, and bankrolling sympathetic charities. We examine five instances that influenced the safety, dignity and lives of girls and women. The Demise of a Major Aid Agency In the month of March, a month and a half following a prominent humanitarian funder is suspended, causing turmoil around the world, a leading figure in the administration reveals that over eighty percent of the organization's initiatives will be axed. Career diplomats, former presidents and humanitarian and health experts condemn the news, warning that people will die as a result. Activists say that the closure of the organization is not just a financial shortfall, it is a brutal assault on fundamental freedoms and family planning and reproductive care. A multitude of agencies say the impact on girls and women will be severe by waning support, especially in regions of instability. As the year ends, statistics reveal how a tremendous loss of life has already occurred from sickness, hunger, poor pregnancy healthcare, and abuse targeting females, with a far greater catastrophe looming. Additional key contributing countries initiate similar reductions. 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. Faith-Based Activists Mobilize at UN Conference In the same month, several conservative religious groups meet in an upmarket New York hotel for a two-day conference held alongside the annual UN Women gathering. It is an opportunity to share tactics on how to oppose what they term a UN overreach. They are in optimistic frame of mind as they applaud changes in American foreign policy on social issues and termination of pregnancy. Meanwhile, the head of the United Nations opens the global conference with a stark warning that “the venom of male dominance” is resurgent, after a analysis demonstrates that groups opposing progressive rights are deliberately weakening longstanding consensus on key women’s rights issues around the world. Conferences on Traditional Values in Africa Over the summer, a cluster of meetings in Africa focused on the conventional household and state autonomy raises concerns among equality campaigners. In early May, a national leader and spouse open a major forum to combat what they label external influences undermining local norms. A few days later, another Pan-African conference on traditional morals is held. Both events are participated in by leading US and European anti-rights figures, including leaders of well-known groups. One speaker calls on African NGOs to stand up to “radical global social engineering” of international organizations. In the following month, a prominent church hosts a gathering about supporting traditional households in West Africa, an event that reproductive rights advocates say has become an anti-LGBTQ, anti-gender platform. Campaigners note that the extent of foreign involvement has increased markedly. US Threat to Destroy Contraceptives As clinics in sub-Saharan Africa report they are running out of contraceptives, including emergency kits for survivors of sexual violence, the US announces in midsummer plans to destroy a significant cache of reproductive health commodities held in a warehouse in Europe. A major reproductive health federation states that their destruction will deny millions of women and girls from contraceptive supplies, and lead to hundreds of thousands of unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions. The organization labels the plan an dogmatic choice “about exporting a regressive policy worldwide” and “a deliberate form of reproductive oppression”. A prominent medical humanitarian organization calls it “cruel and irresponsible”. Charities attempt to acquire the contraceptives so they can be distributed to those in need, but the US refuses all offers. The situation remains in deadlock as the regional government will not allow the destruction of viable medicines. Broader Restrictions on Aid Reviving the global gag rule, which cuts American funding for groups that provide, advocate for or advise on abortion services overseas, is commonplace under certain US administrations. It came as no surprise 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 extend the restrictions to include national governments and international bodies in addition to NGOs, and to include DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) projects. More details on the broader enforcement are likely forthcoming. A director of a major health partnership says broadening the policy will have “catastrophic impacts”. Advocates for bodily autonomy fear that new US aid packages being arranged with states on the continent will become contingent upon adopting the broadened restrictions.
A year ago, organisations advocating for women's rights were anticipating a second Trump term. Scarcely anyone expected. The flood and velocity of administrative decrees coming out of the White House were regarded as a intentional maneuver to overwhelm and create panic. In many ways it worked – there was confusion, anger and exhaustion as agencies hastened to fill the gap left by a sudden aid suspension. But the situation was about to worsen. The American government has been the main instigator, bolstered by fervent lobbying efforts by ultra-conservative groups capitalizing on the climate to strengthen global ties with political allies. The anti-rights movement denotes an international coalition of government figures, churches, and advocacy collectives as well as wealthy philanthropists and dynasties that aim to roll back gains in a variety of areas. These include pro-choice policies, equality for sexual minorities, gender identity recognition, and inclusive relationship teaching. They pursue this agenda via advocating to officials, financing legal challenges, sabotaging multilateral work to foster equity, propagating misinformation, and bankrolling sympathetic charities. We examine five instances that influenced the safety, dignity and lives of girls and women. The Demise of a Major Aid Agency In the month of March, a month and a half following a prominent humanitarian funder is suspended, causing turmoil around the world, a leading figure in the administration reveals that over eighty percent of the organization's initiatives will be axed. Career diplomats, former presidents and humanitarian and health experts condemn the news, warning that people will die as a result. Activists say that the closure of the organization is not just a financial shortfall, it is a brutal assault on fundamental freedoms and family planning and reproductive care. A multitude of agencies say the impact on girls and women will be severe by waning support, especially in regions of instability. As the year ends, statistics reveal how a tremendous loss of life has already occurred from sickness, hunger, poor pregnancy healthcare, and abuse targeting females, with a far greater catastrophe looming. Additional key contributing countries initiate similar reductions. 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. Faith-Based Activists Mobilize at UN Conference In the same month, several conservative religious groups meet in an upmarket New York hotel for a two-day conference held alongside the annual UN Women gathering. It is an opportunity to share tactics on how to oppose what they term a UN overreach. They are in optimistic frame of mind as they applaud changes in American foreign policy on social issues and termination of pregnancy. Meanwhile, the head of the United Nations opens the global conference with a stark warning that “the venom of male dominance” is resurgent, after a analysis demonstrates that groups opposing progressive rights are deliberately weakening longstanding consensus on key women’s rights issues around the world. Conferences on Traditional Values in Africa Over the summer, a cluster of meetings in Africa focused on the conventional household and state autonomy raises concerns among equality campaigners. In early May, a national leader and spouse open a major forum to combat what they label external influences undermining local norms. A few days later, another Pan-African conference on traditional morals is held. Both events are participated in by leading US and European anti-rights figures, including leaders of well-known groups. One speaker calls on African NGOs to stand up to “radical global social engineering” of international organizations. In the following month, a prominent church hosts a gathering about supporting traditional households in West Africa, an event that reproductive rights advocates say has become an anti-LGBTQ, anti-gender platform. Campaigners note that the extent of foreign involvement has increased markedly. US Threat to Destroy Contraceptives As clinics in sub-Saharan Africa report they are running out of contraceptives, including emergency kits for survivors of sexual violence, the US announces in midsummer plans to destroy a significant cache of reproductive health commodities held in a warehouse in Europe. A major reproductive health federation states that their destruction will deny millions of women and girls from contraceptive supplies, and lead to hundreds of thousands of unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions. The organization labels the plan an dogmatic choice “about exporting a regressive policy worldwide” and “a deliberate form of reproductive oppression”. A prominent medical humanitarian organization calls it “cruel and irresponsible”. Charities attempt to acquire the contraceptives so they can be distributed to those in need, but the US refuses all offers. The situation remains in deadlock as the regional government will not allow the destruction of viable medicines. Broader Restrictions on Aid Reviving the global gag rule, which cuts American funding for groups that provide, advocate for or advise on abortion services overseas, is commonplace under certain US administrations. It came as no surprise 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 extend the restrictions to include national governments and international bodies in addition to NGOs, and to include DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) projects. More details on the broader enforcement are likely forthcoming. A director of a major health partnership says broadening the policy will have “catastrophic impacts”. Advocates for bodily autonomy fear that new US aid packages being arranged with states on the continent will become contingent upon adopting the broadened restrictions.