Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Jan 23: The US State Department is poised to formally roll out a significantly expanded version of the Mexico City Policy on Friday, marking a major shift in how American foreign assistance can be distributed worldwide.
Commonly referred to as the “global gag rule,” the policy traditionally blocks US funding to foreign nongovernmental organizations that provide abortion services or advocate for abortion as part of family planning. For decades, it has shaped global health and reproductive care programs by determining which organizations qualify for American aid.
Under the newly finalized framework, the scope of the policy will widen well beyond abortion-related activities. US foreign assistance will also be prohibited from supporting initiatives linked to what the administration describes as gender ideology and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.
An administration official said the State Department will issue three final rules that substantially broaden the policy’s reach. Notably, the restrictions will now apply to all nonmilitary foreign assistance, rather than being limited to global health and family planning programs.
As a result, the amount of aid covered under the policy will rise dramatically—from an estimated $8 billion to more than $30 billion worldwide.
Foreign NGOs and international organizations receiving US funds will be required to formally certify that they neither provide nor promote abortion as a method of family planning. In addition, they must affirm that they do not promote gender ideology, what the administration labels discriminatory equity ideology, or engage in unlawful DEI-related discrimination. US-based NGOs operating overseas will also be subject to the same certification requirements.
Earlier versions of the Mexico City Policy focused solely on abortion-related services and advocacy. During President Donald Trump’s first term, the rule was expanded to include global health assistance. The latest update goes further by applying the restrictions across the entire spectrum of nonmilitary foreign aid.
The policy traces its origins to 1984, when President Ronald Reagan announced it at a United Nations population conference in Mexico City—an event that later gave the rule its name.
Since then, the policy has seesawed with changes in political leadership. Republican administrations have typically reinstated it, while Democratic administrations have rolled it back. President Joe Biden rescinded the policy shortly after taking office in 2021, arguing that it undermined US efforts to support women’s health and combat gender-based violence globally.
At the time, Biden said such restrictions weakened America’s ability to promote gender equality and deliver effective development assistance overseas.
Trump reinstated the policy in January 2025, presenting it as a core element of his administration’s foreign aid strategy. The addition of gender and DEI-related provisions aligns with a broader push by the administration to reverse what it characterizes as progressive social policies within federal programs.
“We’ve ended the tyranny of so-called diversity, equity and inclusion policies all across the entire federal government,” Trump said in March 2025. “Our country will be woke no longer.”
The timing of the policy’s expansion coincides with the annual March for Life, set to take place in Washington on Friday. The event, which draws thousands of anti-abortion activists each year, is expected to be attended by Vice President JD Vance, who is scheduled to address the gathering.