🔗 Share this article Five Major Landmark Occurrences in the Assault on the Rights of Women and Girls in 2025. A year ago, organisations advocating for women's rights were preparing for a new Trump administration. Hardly anyone anticipated. The torrent and swiftness of administrative decrees issued from the White House were seen as a intentional maneuver to paralyze through overload. The tactic proved effective – there was bewilderment, fury, and fatigue as networks struggled to compensate for the loss left by a freeze on international development funds. But this merely marked the opening act. The US administration has been the primary force, complemented by vigorous campaigning by far-right organisations exploiting the situation to forge international alliances with political allies. The anti-rights movement signifies a transnational grouping of government figures, churches, and advocacy collectives as well as affluent financiers and clans that seek to undermine progress across a wide spectrum of issues. This encompasses access to termination, gay and trans protections, alternative households, and factual sexual instruction. They achieve this through pressuring states, backing lawsuits, disparaging UN work to push for parity, disseminating propaganda, and supporting ideologically-matched groups. We review five instances that shaped the protection, honor, and existence of the female population. USAID Dismantled In March, a month and a half following a key American development organization is frozen, causing turmoil around the world, a leading figure in the administration states that over eighty percent of the institution's work will be scrapped. Career diplomats, ex-presidents and humanitarian and health experts condemn the news, cautioning that people will die as a result. Human rights advocates say that the closure of the organization is not just a financial shortfall, it is a savage attack on human rights and family planning and reproductive care. A multitude of agencies say the impact on girls and women will be severe by waning support, especially in war zones. As the year ends, data shows how a tremendous loss of life has already occurred from illness, famine, inadequate obstetric services, and violence against women, with many more millions at risk. Another pair of leading funders proceed with parallel slashes. A director of a global justice organization says a decision to slash billions in overseas assistance is a move to appease a political ally. Faith-Based Activists Mobilize at UN Conference In the same month, several Christian-right organisations meet in an luxury Manhattan venue for a biannual gathering held concurrently with the annual UN Women gathering. It is an forum to discuss methods on how to defeat the UN’s “radical agenda”. They are in buoyant mood as they welcome changes in American foreign policy on LGBTQ issues, inclusion, and reproductive rights. Meanwhile, the world's top diplomat opens the women’s summit with a grave caution that “the poison of patriarchy” is back, after a report shows that anti-rights actors are actively undermining historic agreements on fundamental freedoms for women around the world. Conferences on Traditional Values in Africa Over the warmer months, a series of conferences in Africa centered on the traditional family and national sovereignty raises concerns among human rights defenders. In May, a head of state and partner open a significant conference to combat what they label overseas agendas corrupting societal morals. A few days later, another continental gathering on traditional morals is held. Both events are participated in by leading Western campaigners against gender ideology, including presidents of prominent organizations. One speaker calls on African NGOs to resist “worldwide progressive social restructuring” of global institutions. In the following month, a global faith group hosts a gathering about supporting traditional households in West Africa, an event that pro-choice campaigners say has become a forum for opposing queer and trans rights. Campaigners note that the level of external participation has grown significantly. Contraceptive Destruction Order As health facilities across Africa report they are depleting their stocks of family planning supplies, including post-rape care packages, the US announces in July plans to dispose of a significant cache of reproductive health commodities held in a warehouse in Europe. A global sexual health network states that their destruction will deny a huge female population from contraceptive supplies, and lead to a public health crisis of unwanted pregnancies. The organization labels the plan an ideological decision “about forcing a conservative worldview globally” and “a deliberate form of reproductive oppression”. A international emergency medical charity calls it “heartless and dangerous”. NGOs offer to buy the contraceptives so they can reach their intended destinations, but the US rejects each bid. The situation remains in deadlock as local authorities are blocking the destruction of viable medicines. Widening of the Anti-Abortion Policy Reviving the global gag rule, which cuts American funding for groups that provide, advocate for or advise on abortion services overseas, is typical of certain US administrations. It was anticipated when the rule was reinstated in January. The administration also rejoined an international anti-abortion agreement. But in the autumn, the US announces it intends to expand the global gag rule to include governments and multilateral organisations in addition to NGOs, and to cover diversity programmes. More details on the broader enforcement are anticipated next year. A expert in child welfare says widening the scope will have “catastrophic impacts”. Reproductive justice campaigners fear that new US aid packages being discussed with African nations will become conditional on accepting the new, wider policy.
A year ago, organisations advocating for women's rights were preparing for a new Trump administration. Hardly anyone anticipated. The torrent and swiftness of administrative decrees issued from the White House were seen as a intentional maneuver to paralyze through overload. The tactic proved effective – there was bewilderment, fury, and fatigue as networks struggled to compensate for the loss left by a freeze on international development funds. But this merely marked the opening act. The US administration has been the primary force, complemented by vigorous campaigning by far-right organisations exploiting the situation to forge international alliances with political allies. The anti-rights movement signifies a transnational grouping of government figures, churches, and advocacy collectives as well as affluent financiers and clans that seek to undermine progress across a wide spectrum of issues. This encompasses access to termination, gay and trans protections, alternative households, and factual sexual instruction. They achieve this through pressuring states, backing lawsuits, disparaging UN work to push for parity, disseminating propaganda, and supporting ideologically-matched groups. We review five instances that shaped the protection, honor, and existence of the female population. USAID Dismantled In March, a month and a half following a key American development organization is frozen, causing turmoil around the world, a leading figure in the administration states that over eighty percent of the institution's work will be scrapped. Career diplomats, ex-presidents and humanitarian and health experts condemn the news, cautioning that people will die as a result. Human rights advocates say that the closure of the organization is not just a financial shortfall, it is a savage attack on human rights and family planning and reproductive care. A multitude of agencies say the impact on girls and women will be severe by waning support, especially in war zones. As the year ends, data shows how a tremendous loss of life has already occurred from illness, famine, inadequate obstetric services, and violence against women, with many more millions at risk. Another pair of leading funders proceed with parallel slashes. A director of a global justice organization says a decision to slash billions in overseas assistance is a move to appease a political ally. Faith-Based Activists Mobilize at UN Conference In the same month, several Christian-right organisations meet in an luxury Manhattan venue for a biannual gathering held concurrently with the annual UN Women gathering. It is an forum to discuss methods on how to defeat the UN’s “radical agenda”. They are in buoyant mood as they welcome changes in American foreign policy on LGBTQ issues, inclusion, and reproductive rights. Meanwhile, the world's top diplomat opens the women’s summit with a grave caution that “the poison of patriarchy” is back, after a report shows that anti-rights actors are actively undermining historic agreements on fundamental freedoms for women around the world. Conferences on Traditional Values in Africa Over the warmer months, a series of conferences in Africa centered on the traditional family and national sovereignty raises concerns among human rights defenders. In May, a head of state and partner open a significant conference to combat what they label overseas agendas corrupting societal morals. A few days later, another continental gathering on traditional morals is held. Both events are participated in by leading Western campaigners against gender ideology, including presidents of prominent organizations. One speaker calls on African NGOs to resist “worldwide progressive social restructuring” of global institutions. In the following month, a global faith group hosts a gathering about supporting traditional households in West Africa, an event that pro-choice campaigners say has become a forum for opposing queer and trans rights. Campaigners note that the level of external participation has grown significantly. Contraceptive Destruction Order As health facilities across Africa report they are depleting their stocks of family planning supplies, including post-rape care packages, the US announces in July plans to dispose of a significant cache of reproductive health commodities held in a warehouse in Europe. A global sexual health network states that their destruction will deny a huge female population from contraceptive supplies, and lead to a public health crisis of unwanted pregnancies. The organization labels the plan an ideological decision “about forcing a conservative worldview globally” and “a deliberate form of reproductive oppression”. A international emergency medical charity calls it “heartless and dangerous”. NGOs offer to buy the contraceptives so they can reach their intended destinations, but the US rejects each bid. The situation remains in deadlock as local authorities are blocking the destruction of viable medicines. Widening of the Anti-Abortion Policy Reviving the global gag rule, which cuts American funding for groups that provide, advocate for or advise on abortion services overseas, is typical of certain US administrations. It was anticipated when the rule was reinstated in January. The administration also rejoined an international anti-abortion agreement. But in the autumn, the US announces it intends to expand the global gag rule to include governments and multilateral organisations in addition to NGOs, and to cover diversity programmes. More details on the broader enforcement are anticipated next year. A expert in child welfare says widening the scope will have “catastrophic impacts”. Reproductive justice campaigners fear that new US aid packages being discussed with African nations will become conditional on accepting the new, wider policy.