Back-To-School: Global Gag Rule 101
By Michelle Olakkengil
Back to school. In between frantically packing (because I left everything until the last possible minute) and registering for a painful 25-credit semester, I have a lot of thoughts racing through my mind. One of these thoughts, oddly, is the global gag rule, a terrible policy which is threatening the lives of women and girls around the world. I was a fellow with Planned Parenthood this past year and spent time on campus and at the UN advocating against the policy. And now in grad school, Iâm building knowledge and skills to combat the global gag rule head on. As I reflect on my work that past year, my mind canât help but wander back to my practicum last summer in Madagascar.
Waking up to grinning children huddled around my home; painting the nails of young mothers; eating delicious cassava among the villagers. These are just a few snapshots from my interviews with families in rural villages in Madagascar. I was collecting narratives to learn more about what was important to Malagasy women and girls. Many of the stories I heard connected me back to the issues I faced as an Indian American, especially the cultural taboos around things like talking about sex. I got to speak with people like 35-year-old Fara,* who, after her ninth child, made the choice to receive contraceptive services at a nearby health clinic. Fara says there are other women in her community who want to limit their births, but they donât know how.
Family planning can increase the number of adolescent girls pursuing an education, empower women to join the workforce, ameliorate the impact of violence, reduce early pregnancy and child marriage, and prevent maternal deaths, creating more sustainable and resilient futures. However, an estimated 214 million women in developing countries who want to delay or avoid pregnancy do not have access to modern contraceptive methods.
The vital work to address that gap is under threat by the Trump administration, which has placed womenâs health and rights on the chopping block. Deep cuts to international family planning and a ban on U.S. funding to the United Nations Population Fund (the UN agency devoted to the provision of critical family planning services, especially in humanitarian settings) have drastically harmed health care systems, but perhaps the greatest threat to public health has been a dangerous policy called the global gag rule.
What is the global gag rule?
The global gag rule, also known as the Mexico City policy, was first enacted by the Reagan administration in 1984. The rule historically denied foreign non-governmental organizations from receiving U.S. family planning assistance if they provided information, referrals, or services for safe, legal abortions or advocated for access to abortion even with their own, separate funds. On Jan. 23, 2017, in one of his first acts as president, Trump aggressively expanded the policy to apply to all U.S. global health assistance, affecting programs addressing HIV/AIDS, malaria, maternal and child health, and much more.
What does it do?
The global gag rule is a death sentence for the worldâs most vulnerable women and girls.
Since its reinstatement, the global gag rule has prevented health care organizations with the greatest reach from providing comprehensive, scientifically accurate, and non-discriminatory services to the most marginalized communities â including women, people in rural villages, LGBTQ people, and sex workers.
Organizations like the International Planned Parenthood Federation, which operates in Madagascar through its member association Fianakaviana Sambatra (FISA), estimate that the lost funding could have globally prevented 20,000 maternal deaths, 4.8 million unintended pregnancies, and 1.7 million unsafe abortions. Clinics just like the one Fara went to are shutting down, which means women like her will be unable to receive HIV treatments, prenatal care, and screenings for gender-based violence. This will also obstruct access to nutrition programs and life-saving immunizations for the children in her community.
Until we stop the global gag rule, the policy will continue to jeopardize the health and well-being of millions of women and girls and the families that depend on them.
What can we do?
As students, we sometimes render ourselves helpless and think, âwhat can I really do?â For a long time, Iâve been guilty of this feeling. But, realize this â change starts with and builds from the communities we belong to.
Over the past year, I have been a global youth advocacy fellow with Planned Parenthood Global. As a fellow, Iâve actively engaged with my university to educate hundreds of people on the impact of U.S. policy on sexual and reproductive health and rights worldwide, as well as involve other student leaders and organizations in this work.
When you head back to school, here are some things you can do to advocate around this issue:
1. Educate Your Peers
Leverage the relationships you have and speak to members of campus organizations that youâre a part of. Consider presenting on this topic for a class youâve taken or youâre taking now (the professors for classes Iâve done this in have been pretty supportive!)
2. Join Your Planned Parenthood Generation Action Chapter
Organize programs and rallies with the help of your chapter and local Planned Parenthood affiliate. Consider collaborating with partner organizations and pooling your resources to reach all students on campus, including those left in the margins (commuter, international, and non-traditional students to name a few). Anything from intimate, small-group discussions to hundred-person marches can be effective.
3. Contact Your Members of Congress
One of the most important things we can do is let our elected officials know that we care about reproductive health â in our communities and around the world. Encourage your senators and representatives to:
Support funding for international family planning and reproductive health programs, including the restoration of funding to UNFPA.
Champion the Global Health, Empowerment, and Rights (HER) Act, which would end the global gag rule.
Since people in other countries affected by our policies donât have the same voice to influence our government, we must use our voices and privileges to stand up for these rights.
As a first-generation Indian American woman, I found myself in the stories, joys, and struggles of women in Madagascar like Fara. I realized that my rights are compromised until we all attain the highest levels of human dignity. We must work together to expand these rights that are deeply intertwined and affect us all â no matter who we are or where we live.
*Name changed to preserve the anonymity of the individual.
Michelle Olakkengil was a global youth advocacy fellow with Planned Parenthood Global for the 2017 to 2018 school year. She is currently a candidate for the Master of Science degree at the Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Prior to moving to Boston, Michelle studied foreign affairs issues on Capitol Hill, through the USAID Donald M. Payne International Development Fellowship.














