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WASHINGTON D.C., United States, 3 February 2025 – The Trump administration is using foreign aid as a deadly political weapon, ILGA World and International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) said today, and millions of people are already in dire straits because of its policies.
The executive order implementing a 90-day pause in US foreign development aid is wreaking havoc on the lifesaving work of human rights, civil society, and grassroots organisations —according to ILGA World and IPPF.
- Sexual and reproductive health services suddenly were forced to suddenly stop or drastically cut operations, including those further impacted by the reinstatement of the Global Gag Rule, leaving millions of people without access to lifesaving care.
- The funding suspension initially impacted also the over 20 million people living with HIV directly supported through the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Later, however, a life-saving humanitarian assistance waiver” walked back the decision, yet excludes activities related to abortion or family planning, gender or DEI programs, gender-affirming surgeries, and other activities deemed to be “non-life saving assistance.”
- IPPF anticipates it will lose US$61 million from cuts due to refusing to sign the Global Gag Rule. Programs affected - mainly in Africa - provide sexual and reproductive health services for millions of women and youth, many of whom will be forced to continue with a pregnancy they did not want or have an unsafe abortion they may not survive.
- United Nations agencies have begun cutting back their global aid operations as a direct consequence of the 90-day foreign aid suspension.
- Without guaranteed funding, implementing organisations will have no choice but to lay off thousands of health workers and programme staff.
- Even if funds are reinstated after the “assessment of consistency with US foreign policy”, the bottoming out of the health sector means there are no guarantees that organisations will be able to continue serving our communities.
“The US, currently the largest provider of Official Development Assistance (ODA), is choosing to leave behind the already most marginalised people across the world, in the name of far-right regressive policies,” said ILGA World and IPPF.
“This is a war on development. People will die because the Trump administration is using life-saving funding as a leverage to advance a hateful dystopia. American aid with further conditionality will be unable to reach the most vulnerable populations, undoing decades of progress on health, security and human rights.”
“This devastating blow to foreign aid risks worsening humanitarian crises, violence, conflict, and political instability,” ILGA World and IPPF conclude. “This is the opposite of building ‘harmonious and stable relations internal to and among countries’ that the Trump administration claims to seek.”
“Now more than ever, we are in solidarity with our global movements. We will continue to fight alongside them. We will not be fearful or silenced; but instead use this moment to galvanise our communities. But we need to be prepared: vital resources and life-saving programmes may not come back — at least not without severe limitations and exclusionary conditions.”
“We call on more States to step in with development aid, listen to the needs and priorities of grassroots communities, and provide them with a lifeline.”
Note to editors
ILGA World is a worldwide federation of more than 2,000 organisations from over 170 countries and territories campaigning for the human rights of people with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and sex characteristics.
The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is a global healthcare provider and a leading advocate of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for all. Founded in 1952, it is now a movement of 150 member associations and collaborative partners with a presence in over 146 countries.
For ILGA World:
Daniele Paletta (communications manager); media@ilga.org; time zone: UTC+1
For IPPF:
Nerida Williams (senior media advisor); newilliams@ippf.org; time zone: UTC+7
Alice Ackermann (communications advisor); AAckermann@ippf.org; time zone: UTC+1
when
region
Americas & the Caribbean
Subject
Sexual Health
We will continue to fight alongside them. We will not be fearful or silenced; but instead use this moment to galvanise our communities.
