In the heart of rural Zimbabwe, women often face major reproductive health challenges. In the village of Epworth, a striking scene unfolds daily: women of all ages, from young mothers to older women, wait patiently in the blazing sun outside a small white tent that houses a family planning service. Access to quality health care is a critical issue for these women, and it is in this context that their fight for freedom of choice about contraception is playing out.
Among them is Sithulisiwe Moyo, a 19-year-old mother holding her daughter. She has been waiting for two hours for birth control pills that represent her best hope of returning to school. This free service, supported by the US government, is a vital support for many women in the community, but it is under threat.
Indeed, US President-elect Donald Trump is expected to reinstate the so-called “global gag rule” early in his term. The policy, which prohibits the use of US foreign aid to fund abortions or information about abortion, has had a devastating impact on essential services provided by NGOs around the world.
The global gag rule has a long and tumultuous history, having been invoked by Republican presidents and rescinded by Democratic presidents for decades. During his first term, Donald Trump expanded it drastically, depriving millions of women in developing countries of vital reproductive health services.
The specter of the policy’s reintroduction is deeply worrying for women’s health advocates. Indeed, a potential expansion of the global gag rule could affect not only NGOs, but also governments and organizations receiving US aid. This would have dire consequences for access to sexual and reproductive health services, jeopardizing the lives and well-being of millions of women around the world.
In Zimbabwe, the impact of the global gag rule has already been felt, with the closure of outreach clinics and the reduction of family planning services. The consequences are devastating, with an increase in unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions and preventable maternal deaths.
Faced with this imminent threat, women in Epworth village and many other vulnerable places find themselves once again at a crossroads. Their voices, their rights and their health are at stake, and it is crucial to support initiatives to preserve access to quality health care for all women, no matter where they are in the world. Because reproductive health should never be a privilege, but a fundamental right for all.