Canadian aid groups are deliberating easy methods to reply to American policies that block U.S. aid for virtually any group in developing countries that gives abortion, science-based sexual health information or LGBTQ+ advocacy.
The rollback of feminist aid has those groups calling on Prime Minister Mark Carney to assemble a coalition of like-minded nations to defend sexual health programming.
“Individuals are more more likely to die because they’re not receiving this sort of assistance,” said Erin Kiley, director of international programs at Oxfam Canada.
Since 1985, Republican administrations have implemented what they call the Mexico City policy, which blocks American funding for groups that provide abortion counselling or referrals.
Democrat administrations have repeatedly rescinded the policy, then see Republican administrations reinstate it. Some call it the “global gag rule” since it limits advocacy for decriminalizing or expanding abortion services.
Some studies have suggested the policy results in an increase in unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions in various countries.
In 2010, the Conservative government of Stephen Harper took the same approach by boosting funding for maternal health while blocking those funds from getting used for abortion services.
Aid groups found ways to circumnavigate those American and Canadian policies. They used funding from other nations to fund abortion services or dipped into their budgets to construct sexual health facilities adjoining to general clinics.
But U.S. President Donald Trump drastically expanded the policy in February by barring more kinds of U.S. funding from going to any groups receiving funding from other sources for abortion services. His policy also withholds funds from groups advocating for LGBTQ+ issues or gender-affirming medical care.
The changes got here after drastic cuts to American foreign aid and as Trump’s government signed deals with socially conservative governments abroad to fund national health systems in partnership with religious groups against abortion and gay rights.
Kiley said Oxfam’s partners in places like southern Africa are facing some tough selections. Some still champion gender rights, she said, while other groups avoid those topics — including some which don’t receive American aid but might sooner or later apply for it.
“Coalitions that work on this space (are) becoming a bit fragmented, because some are attempting to align with U.S. government policy and others are attempting to be outspoken,” Kiley said.
“In Zimbabwe particularly, they referred to a chilling effect on rights and advocacy.”
Kiley said her organization takes virtually no U.S. funding, giving Oxfam more ability to talk out than a few of its peers. Other charities declined to be interviewed for this text, citing the danger of American blowback.
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The controversy throughout the sector got here up at an April conference of aid groups in Ottawa. The Canadian branches of well-known, globally federated charities told the conference their organizations had internal rifts over easy methods to respond.
The conference heard that branches in Canada, Europe and developing countries had different views on whether it was ethical for organizations which don’t work on maternal health or LGBTQ+ rights to take funds from Washington.
Jessica Stern, appointed by former U.S. president Joe Biden as a special envoy on LGBTQ+ rights, told conference participants they need to take the cash when they can comply with the Trump policy.
“U.S. taxpayers are contributing significant dollars and we must always ensure that a few of that cash goes to good work,” she said on April 22.
“I’m very afraid of a scenario — which could occur — where the U.S. government is actively funding (anti-gay) conversion therapy and is actively funding programs to get women to stick with their batterers, and every kind of other ugly, anti-rights initiatives.”
Erica Belanger, the interim Canada head of MSI Reproductive Decisions, said her organization has seen a 20 per cent increase in demand for sexual health services since Trump returned to the White House and slashed aid spending.
In Zambia, the charity stepped in to distribute contraceptives in rural areas because no other groups had funding to bring supplies from city depots.
“Canada’s soft power really, really matters on this moment,” Belanger said. “We want strong government leadership that may rise up for these issues.”
The Canadian Partnership for Women and Children’s Health can be urging Canada to assemble a coalition to preserve sexual health services and advocacy for reproductive rights.
“It’s completely attempting to break and fragment the worldwide health system to essentially ring-fence partners who do provide access to protected abortion and comprehensive sexual reproductive health and rights programming, and people who don’t,” said the coalition’s CEO Caitlin Goggin.
“They are attempting to completely change the best way during which comprehensive health services are provided all over the world and asking partners — all the best way all the way down to local small organizations — to make unimaginable selections about whose money they receive and absorb a moment of world scarcity.”
She said Washington is asking Malawi and Zambia to separate the work of medical employees, in order that those working in sexual health cannot do general medicine, and vice versa.
“It is a health rights issue for ladies and families. And without full access to the great slate of services, women don’t have full bodily autonomy all over the world,” said Goggin.
Randeep Sarai, secretary of state for international development, was not available for an interview. His office said in a media statement that it’s engaging with Canadian organizations “to evaluate possible impacts on their operations and repair delivery in consequence of the U.S. administration’s changes” to foreign aid.
“Gender equality has been an element of Canada’s development programming for a long time, and it’s going to remain a core a part of our international assistance going forward,” wrote spokeswoman Shanti Cosentino, listing projects Canada has supported on sexual health and gender gaps in labour markets.
“We proceed to advocate for and imagine within the importance of gender equality and inclusion as core principles for achieving sustainable development outcomes,” Cosentino wrote, adding this includes work through the G7, the G20 and the United Nations.
The help sector is hoping Canada renews its 10-year commitment to funding health services through a gender lens, which expires in 2030.