Trump’s new abortion policy ‘threatens UN protections for women and LGBT+ rights’

The decision by Donald Trump's administration to extend the US policy that bars groups receiving foreign aid from promoting abortion risks weakening United Nations (UN) programmes designed to protect women and support LGBT+ people around the world, experts has warned.

The policy – branded the “promoting human flourishing in foreign assistance policy” – dramatically expands the so-called Mexico City policy, which restricts organisations receiving US funding from providing or promoting abortion services overseas.

The new rule goes much further and attaches broader ideological conditions to American foreign assistance. Organisations that receive US assistance must now ensure that none of their activities, even those funded by other governments, conflict with Washington’s positions on abortion, gender identity or diversity programmes.

The rule took effect in February and could apply to tens of billions of dollars in US foreign aid. Under the policy, non-compliance could lead to funding being withdrawn and previously disbursed money being clawed back.

Experts say the measure could have far-reaching consequences for the UN, which relies heavily on voluntary contributions from member states, including the US, historically its largest donor.

"The new human flourishing policy projects the Trump administration’s political position against gender equality through its global financial assistance", Cristal Downing, a director at the International Crisis Group said.

"This could have broad implications at the UN and elsewhere, compounding the global regression on gender equality that we have seen accelerate in the last year," she continued.

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Source: The Independent, 11 March 2026