PIH Statement on Global Gag Rule

Reproductive health is a matter of human rights

Partners In Health (PIH) strongly opposes President Donald Trump and the U.S. State Department's reinstatement and expansion of the Mexico City Policy, known as the "Global Gag Rule." By expanding the impact of restrictions on abortion, these changes further compromise patient-centered, quality reproductive health care. This updated rule, cloaked in humanitarian language, will weaken already fragile health systems and profoundly undermine the fundamental rights of women, disproportionately impacting communities like those PIH serves.

The original rule required foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to certify that they would not "perform or actively promote abortion as a method of family planning" using funds from any source as a condition of receiving U.S. government global health funding. The updated rule, issued by the State Department on January 23, 2026, expanded the rule to apply to all non-military U.S. foreign assistance and to include international organizations, U.S.-based NGOs operating abroad, and foreign governments. These new restrictions apply regardless of national policies, health priorities, or the rights and expressed needs of the communities served.

Furthermore, two new rules were issued that prohibit U.S. foreign assistance from being used in any diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives or promoting what the administration calls "gender ideology," which will inevitably harm communities who are already experiencing stigma, discrimination, and limited access to services. News outlets calculate that these January updates to the Global Gag Rule will impact an estimated $30 billion of U.S. foreign assistance.

This targeted attack on marginalized and under-served populations by the Trump Administration will prevent care, services, and support from reaching people who need them most. To protect the vulnerable, uphold health as a human right, and continue striving for health equity, PIH calls for the immediate and permanent repeal of the Global Gag Rule.