The photo said it all.
In one of his first official acts as U.S. President, Donald Trump has signed an anti-abortion Executive Order. The photo of Trump, surrounded by 8 male staffers, shows him reinstating a 'Global Gag Order', first introduced by Ronald Reagan in 1984, which blocks U.S. funding to foreign organisations that perform or provide advice on abortions.
And the internet reacted with fury.
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BREAKING: group of rich white men very proud after denying access to essential reproductive health care on a global scale #TrumpGlobalGag pic.twitter.com/dwKF5X4KTn
— Sharon Kann (@sharonkann) January 23, 201
First Lady of New York City Chirlane McCray, also saw something wrong with the photo:
Here's President Trump signing an executive order that endangers millions of women around the world. Notice anyone missing? pic.twitter.com/aPA84530m5
— Chirlane McCray (@NYCFirstLady) January 23, 2017
The Global Gag Order prevents health organisations overseas that provide advice on abortion and contraception, or perform abortions, from accessing American aid funding. Health organisations in developing countries must now choose between providing women with important advice on contraceptive and family planning options or receiving vital funding from the U.S., the largest foreign aid contributor.
Current estimates reveal that U.S. funding helps 27 million women worldwide access contraception and advice on reproductive health.
Reinstating a ban on U.S. funding to help women in developing countries access contraceptive services could have significant consequences. The World Health Organisation estimates more than 21 million women a year have unsafe abortions, accounting for 13 per cent of maternal deaths worldwide. Since its inception, the Global Gag Order has been repealed and reinstated with each change of power in the White House.
Women and men alike have taken to Twitter to comment on the irony of the image showing a group of men witnessing the signing of the Global Gag Order, when none of them will ever feel the practical consequences of restricting access to contraception and abortion options for women.
You can't ban abortions, you can only ban safe abortions #globalgag
— Mollie (@molliexyz) January 23, 2017
As long as you live you'll never see a photograph of 7 women signing legislation about what men can do with their reproductive organs pic.twitter.com/dXjfVjnRiX
— Martin Belam (@MartinBelam) January 23, 2017
Congresswoman Dina Titus, who represents Nevada in the U.S. House of Representatives, also broadcasted her dismay:
Trump's war on women goes global. The #GlobalGag rule will keep life-saving health care out of the developing world. https://t.co/Shu7THqaOA
— Dina Titus (@repdinatitus) January 23, 2017
Author J.K. Rowling also weighed in with her fears for women :
The #GlobalGagRule risks the lives of some the poorest women in the world. https://t.co/873ftbNdVt 2/2 pic.twitter.com/ZId56UIo6g
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) January 23, 2017
So did Cecile Richards, president of The Planned Parenthood Federation of America
The #GlobalGag rule contradicts U.S. values of promoting human rights, international development, democracy, and free speech worldwide.
— Cecile Richards (@CecileRichards) January 23, 2017
Suzanne Ehlers, president and CEO of Population Action International, a major International NGO that works to promote access to reproductive health services for women, said in a statement:
"Trump's global gag rule will obstruct and destroy the work of health care providers who are often women's main — and sometimes only — source for reproductive health care, and their entry point for receiving a wide range of primary health care services."
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