Trump Aid Cuts Threaten Global Health and Rights
In the early days of the Trump administration, our worst fears for global health are unfolding. A series of executive orders, including actions taken over the weekend of January 30, are creating uncertainty about the future of USAID.
Alarmingly, USAID staff have been put on administrative leave, stopping the agency’s critical work supporting global health. If this decision is not reversed, the consequences for millions of people worldwide will be devastating. But this is just one of the dangerous policies advanced in recent weeks.
These orders are shaping the framework within which health programs must operate. But MSI will not comply with directives which go against MSI’s core mission and values.
One of the most concerning directives is the reintroduction of the Global Gag Rule, which restricts funding to organizations that provide or promote abortion services. Additionally, a new directive halts any activities related to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA), even in global health initiatives. These actions threaten to undo decades of progress, disproportionately impacting vulnerable populations.
MSI will not work with the United States Government under these conditions. Instead, we will continue to work with our partners and donors to maintain critical programs and ensure that no one is left behind.
Simon Cooke, CEO of MSI Reproductive Choices, says:
“At MSI, as one of the world’s largest reproductive health providers, we are committed to making sure that everyone, everywhere who needs our services, feels welcome and supported when they walk through our doors. And we refuse to partner with anyone who tries to coerce us into compromising on our values.
“With its global gag rule, the Trump administration has tried and failed before to make us bend on our mission. Now we wholeheartedly reject its directive to cease all work in support of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.
“Complying would mean failing young people and denying them the care that meets their diverse needs. It would mean stopping services that support people of all gender identities and sexual orientations and failing people with disabilities, who are already marginalized and discriminated against.
“MSI is not willing to work with this United States Government under these conditions. We stand in solidarity with the many communities being damaged by this corrosive administration.”
Beth Schlachter, MSI’s Senior Director for US External Relations, said:
“The Trump administration’s obvious ideological aversion to sexual and reproductive healthcare has left us in no doubt that they want to decimate not only abortion care, but also the provision of contraception more broadly.
“We don’t yet know what the future of US development assistance will look like, but USAID’s contribution to this important work has been so significant that the profound devastation it will cause is painfully clear.
“In the white heat of today’s chaos, it’s never been more important to stay focused on our mission and the job ahead. Do not accept the inevitability of this thoughtless destruction – we can and will protect the global systems that belong to all of us. Together, we will continue to serve the people counting on us to find a way forward. At MSI, that has always been and will remain our mission.”
Dr. Carole Sekimpi, Africa Director at MSI Reproductive Choices, adds:
“It is unacceptable for politicians in Washington to tell us who is deserving of support and, even worse, who to turn away. We shall not be used as a vehicle to perpetuate their extremist and discriminatory world view. We refuse to be any part of this.
“Respect for the dignity and diversity of every individual is an essential value across the African continent and all of MSI’s programs and we refuse to comply.”
