The Far-Reaching Impacts of the Trump Administration’s Executive Orders on Reproductive Health Care and Rights in South Africa

This piece was co-authored by Duduetsang Mmeti, who is a Senior Communications Manager, and Sesona Buyeye, who is a Communications Assistant, at Ibis Reproductive Health’s office in Johannesburg, South Africa.

UPDATE ON THIS DEVELOPING STORY:On 26 February 2025, letters were sent to South African HIV organisations funded by PEPFAR, which received funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). These letters informed affected organisations that their grants have been permanently terminated. They also stated that “your award does not align with agency priorities” and directed that all activities stop immediately, with all subawards and contracts terminated without delay.

20 February marks World Social Justice Day. This year’s theme, “Empowering Inclusion: Bridging Gaps for Social Justice,” highlights the importance of eliminating systemic barriers that prevent many people, especially those impacted by structural inequities and oppression, from accessing the resources and constitutional guarantees they need to thrive. In an era when all of our sexual and reproductive health care and rights are at risk, the call for strengthened universal policies and laws that are free from political and ideological interference, is more urgent than ever.

Four days into his second administration, newly elected US President Donald Trump signed an executive order reinstating the Global Gag Rule (GGR). The GGR prohibits organisations receiving US foreign funding from providing or referring to abortion care, even with separate, non-US government funds. Organisations need to make a difficult choice of whether to comply with the rule or forgo US government funding. Some, including organisations funded by the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) that implement HIV/AIDS programs, do comply. However, some USAID-funded organisations refuse to comply and turn down their US government funding.

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