đ Share this article Five Major Landmark Occurrences in the Rollback of the Rights of Women and Girls in 2025. This time last year, groups dedicated to gender equality were preparing for a new Trump administration. The ensuing chaos was largely unforeseen. The sheer number and rapid pace of executive orders coming out of the White House were interpreted as a premeditated approach to overwhelm and create panic. This strategy had its intended impact â there was bewilderment, fury, and fatigue as groups rushed to fill the gap left by a freeze on international development funds. But that was just the beginning. The Trump administration has been the key driver, aided by intense advocacy work by deeply conservative factions exploiting the situation to forge international alliances with political allies. This opposition to progressive rights denotes an international coalition of government figures, churches, and advocacy collectives as well as wealthy philanthropists and dynasties that work to dismantle forward movement on multiple topics. These include reproductive choice, queer and transgender freedoms, diverse family models, and honest sex ed. They accomplish their goals by influencing policymakers, funding litigation, undermining global initiatives to push for parity, disseminating propaganda, and supporting ideologically-matched groups. We analyze five moments that influenced the protection, honor, and existence of women and girls. USAID Effectively Dismantled In early spring, six weeks after a major US aid agency is frozen, causing turmoil around the world, a top American diplomat confirms that a vast majority of the institution's work will be scrapped. Career diplomats, former presidents and aid and medical specialists criticize the move, warning that people will die as a result. Rights defenders say that the demise of the agency is not just a financial shortfall, it is a savage attack on human rights and access to contraception and reproductive health services. A multitude of agencies say females will bear the brunt by reduced funding, especially in war zones. As the year ends, evidence indicates how a tremendous loss of life has already occurred from disease, starvation, lack of access to maternal care and gender-based violence, with millions more to come. Additional key contributing countries announce their own austerity measures. A director of a global justice organization says a move to cut foreign aid drastically is a gesture of alignment with another government's agenda. Christian-Right Groups Raise Voices During UN Women Summit In March, several Christian-right organisations meet in an luxury Manhattan venue for a biannual gathering held alongside the UN's flagship gender equality meeting. It is an chance to exchange strategies on how to defeat the UNâs âradical agendaâ. They are in buoyant mood as they applaud new Washington directives on LGBTQ issues, inclusion, and reproductive rights. Meanwhile, the head of the United Nations opens the gender equality forum with a grave caution that âthe poison of patriarchyâ is resurgent, after a report shows that anti-rights actors are actively undermining established norms on fundamental freedoms for women around the world. Summits Promoting Conservative Norms Over the summer, a sequence of gatherings in Africa themed around the traditional family and national sovereignty triggers anxiety among human rights defenders. In early May, a head of state and partner open a large assembly to push back on what they label overseas agendas corrupting societal morals. A shortly thereafter, another Pan-African conference on traditional morals is held. Both events are participated in by leading Western campaigners against gender ideology, including leaders of well-known groups. One speaker calls on African NGOs to resist âinternational liberal agendaâ of international organizations. In the following month, a global faith group hosts a event focused on reinforcing families in West Africa, an event that pro-choice campaigners say has become an anti-LGBTQ, anti-gender platform. Advocates remark that the scale of their presence has grown significantly. Contraceptive Destruction Order As health facilities across Africa report they are depleting their stocks of family planning supplies, including emergency kits for survivors of sexual violence, the US announces in July plans to incinerate millions of dollars worth of contraceptives held in a European depot. A global sexual health network states that their incineration will prevent millions of women and girls from contraceptive supplies, and lead to a surge in unplanned pregnancies and dangerous terminations. The organization labels the plan an ideological decision âabout exporting a regressive policy worldwideâ and âa deliberate form of reproductive oppressionâ. A renowned doctors' group calls it âcallous and recklessâ. Aid groups propose purchasing the contraceptives so they can fulfill their original purpose, but the US rejects each bid. The situation remains in deadlock as local authorities are blocking usable products to be destroyed. âGlobal Gag Ruleâ Expanded Reviving the global gag rule, which cuts American funding for groups that provide, advocate for or advise on abortion services overseas, is standard practice for certain US administrations. It was widely expected when the ban was reimposed in January. The administration also reaffirmed membership in a pro-life declaration. But in the autumn, the US announces it intends to broaden the scope of the policy to include sovereign states and UN agencies in addition to NGOs, and to cover diversity programmes. More details on the broader enforcement are expected in early 2026. A leader in global maternal health says broadening the policy will have âdevastating consequencesâ. Advocates for bodily autonomy fear that fresh American assistance deals being discussed with African nations will become dependent on agreeing to the expanded global gag.
This time last year, groups dedicated to gender equality were preparing for a new Trump administration. The ensuing chaos was largely unforeseen. The sheer number and rapid pace of executive orders coming out of the White House were interpreted as a premeditated approach to overwhelm and create panic. This strategy had its intended impact â there was bewilderment, fury, and fatigue as groups rushed to fill the gap left by a freeze on international development funds. But that was just the beginning. The Trump administration has been the key driver, aided by intense advocacy work by deeply conservative factions exploiting the situation to forge international alliances with political allies. This opposition to progressive rights denotes an international coalition of government figures, churches, and advocacy collectives as well as wealthy philanthropists and dynasties that work to dismantle forward movement on multiple topics. These include reproductive choice, queer and transgender freedoms, diverse family models, and honest sex ed. They accomplish their goals by influencing policymakers, funding litigation, undermining global initiatives to push for parity, disseminating propaganda, and supporting ideologically-matched groups. We analyze five moments that influenced the protection, honor, and existence of women and girls. USAID Effectively Dismantled In early spring, six weeks after a major US aid agency is frozen, causing turmoil around the world, a top American diplomat confirms that a vast majority of the institution's work will be scrapped. Career diplomats, former presidents and aid and medical specialists criticize the move, warning that people will die as a result. Rights defenders say that the demise of the agency is not just a financial shortfall, it is a savage attack on human rights and access to contraception and reproductive health services. A multitude of agencies say females will bear the brunt by reduced funding, especially in war zones. As the year ends, evidence indicates how a tremendous loss of life has already occurred from disease, starvation, lack of access to maternal care and gender-based violence, with millions more to come. Additional key contributing countries announce their own austerity measures. A director of a global justice organization says a move to cut foreign aid drastically is a gesture of alignment with another government's agenda. Christian-Right Groups Raise Voices During UN Women Summit In March, several Christian-right organisations meet in an luxury Manhattan venue for a biannual gathering held alongside the UN's flagship gender equality meeting. It is an chance to exchange strategies on how to defeat the UNâs âradical agendaâ. They are in buoyant mood as they applaud new Washington directives on LGBTQ issues, inclusion, and reproductive rights. Meanwhile, the head of the United Nations opens the gender equality forum with a grave caution that âthe poison of patriarchyâ is resurgent, after a report shows that anti-rights actors are actively undermining established norms on fundamental freedoms for women around the world. Summits Promoting Conservative Norms Over the summer, a sequence of gatherings in Africa themed around the traditional family and national sovereignty triggers anxiety among human rights defenders. In early May, a head of state and partner open a large assembly to push back on what they label overseas agendas corrupting societal morals. A shortly thereafter, another Pan-African conference on traditional morals is held. Both events are participated in by leading Western campaigners against gender ideology, including leaders of well-known groups. One speaker calls on African NGOs to resist âinternational liberal agendaâ of international organizations. In the following month, a global faith group hosts a event focused on reinforcing families in West Africa, an event that pro-choice campaigners say has become an anti-LGBTQ, anti-gender platform. Advocates remark that the scale of their presence has grown significantly. Contraceptive Destruction Order As health facilities across Africa report they are depleting their stocks of family planning supplies, including emergency kits for survivors of sexual violence, the US announces in July plans to incinerate millions of dollars worth of contraceptives held in a European depot. A global sexual health network states that their incineration will prevent millions of women and girls from contraceptive supplies, and lead to a surge in unplanned pregnancies and dangerous terminations. The organization labels the plan an ideological decision âabout exporting a regressive policy worldwideâ and âa deliberate form of reproductive oppressionâ. A renowned doctors' group calls it âcallous and recklessâ. Aid groups propose purchasing the contraceptives so they can fulfill their original purpose, but the US rejects each bid. The situation remains in deadlock as local authorities are blocking usable products to be destroyed. âGlobal Gag Ruleâ Expanded Reviving the global gag rule, which cuts American funding for groups that provide, advocate for or advise on abortion services overseas, is standard practice for certain US administrations. It was widely expected when the ban was reimposed in January. The administration also reaffirmed membership in a pro-life declaration. But in the autumn, the US announces it intends to broaden the scope of the policy to include sovereign states and UN agencies in addition to NGOs, and to cover diversity programmes. More details on the broader enforcement are expected in early 2026. A leader in global maternal health says broadening the policy will have âdevastating consequencesâ. Advocates for bodily autonomy fear that fresh American assistance deals being discussed with African nations will become dependent on agreeing to the expanded global gag.