Five Significant Developments in the Erosion of the Rights of Women and Girls in 2025.

This time last year, organisations advocating for women's rights were preparing for a Trump presidency sequel. Few were prepared for. The volume and speed of administrative decrees coming out of the White House were interpreted as a intentional maneuver to paralyze through overload. In many ways it worked – there was disarray, outrage, and weariness as networks struggled to compensate for the loss left by a abrupt cessation of financial support. But this merely marked the opening act.

The Washington leadership has been the central catalyst, bolstered by fervent lobbying efforts by ultra-conservative groups exploiting the situation to solidify transnational relationships with like-minded governments.

Often termed the anti-gender movement describes a worldwide alliance of political leaders, religious institutions, civil society groups as well as affluent financiers and clans that seek to undermine forward movement on multiple topics. Areas targeted involve abortion, LGBTQ rights, trans rights, non-traditional family structures and comprehensive sexuality education.

They accomplish their goals by advocating to officials, financing legal challenges, sabotaging multilateral work to push for parity, disseminating propaganda, and supporting ideologically-matched groups.

We look at five moments that affected the safety, dignity and lives of women and girls.

The Demise of a Major Aid Agency

In early spring, a month and a half following a prominent humanitarian funder is halted, causing widespread distress, a leading figure in the administration confirms that over eighty percent of the body's projects will be terminated. Career diplomats, ex-presidents and aid and medical specialists decry the decision, cautioning that mortality will increase. Activists say that the closure of the organization is more than a funding crisis, it is a brutal assault on fundamental freedoms and access to contraception and reproductive health services. Many organisations say the impact on girls and women will be severe by diminishing aid, especially in war zones. As the year ends, statistics reveal how a significant mortality toll has been exacted from illness, famine, inadequate obstetric services, and violence against women, with a far greater catastrophe looming. Another pair of leading funders follow with their own cuts. A leader of an international advocacy group says a choice to reduce international development funding is an attempt to placate a powerful partner.

Christian-Right Groups Raise Voices During UN Women Summit

In the same month, several faith-based advocacy networks meet in an high-end hotel in NYC for a biannual gathering held alongside the international conference on women's rights. It is an opportunity to share tactics on how to defeat the UN’s “radical agenda”. They are in buoyant mood as they applaud changes in American foreign policy on LGBTQ issues, inclusion, and reproductive rights. Meanwhile, the UN secretary general opens the global conference with a grave caution that “the poison of patriarchy” is returning, after a analysis demonstrates that groups opposing progressive rights are deliberately weakening longstanding consensus on fundamental freedoms for women around the world.

Conferences on Traditional Values in Africa

Over the warmer months, a series of conferences in Africa focused on the conventional household and state autonomy raises concerns among rights advocates. In the start of May, a president and first lady open a large assembly to push back on what they label overseas agendas corrupting societal morals. A soon after, another regional summit on family values is held. Both events are graced by leading US and European anti-rights figures, including heads of influential networks. One speaker calls on African NGOs to push back against “worldwide progressive social restructuring” of global institutions. In June, a prominent church hosts a gathering about supporting traditional households in West Africa, an event that health activists say has become an anti-LGBTQ, anti-gender platform. Advocates remark that the extent of foreign involvement has grown significantly.

US Threat to Destroy Contraceptives

As medical centers in numerous African countries report they are facing shortages of birth control, including emergency kits for survivors of sexual violence, the US announces in midsummer plans to dispose of a vast stockpile of birth control held in a European depot. A major reproductive health federation states that their destruction will deny a huge female population from family planning options, and lead to a surge in unplanned pregnancies and dangerous terminations. The organization labels the plan an ideological decision “about exporting a regressive policy worldwide” and “a deliberate form of reproductive oppression”. A renowned doctors' group calls it “cruel and irresponsible”. NGOs offer to buy the contraceptives so they can be distributed to those in need, but the US rejects each bid. The situation remains unresolved as local authorities are blocking usable products to be destroyed.

Broader Restrictions on Aid

Reviving the global gag rule, which halts US aid to groups that provide, advocate for or advise on abortion services overseas, is standard practice for certain US administrations. It came as no surprise when the ban was reimposed in January. The administration also rejoined an international anti-abortion agreement. But in October, the US announces it intends to expand the global gag rule to include sovereign states and UN agencies in addition to NGOs, and to include DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) projects. More details on the policy's widened application are anticipated next year. A director of a major health partnership says broadening the policy will have “devastating consequences”. Pro-choice activists fear that fresh American assistance deals being arranged with states on the continent will become contingent upon adopting the broadened restrictions.