‘You can’t just remove the damage of the last four years’ For more than four years, countries that rely on American foreign aid have been reeling from the profound impact that Donald Trump’s reinstatement of the Mexico City policy has had on women. The policy, known as the “global gag rule” among opponents, prevents non-government organizations that provide abortions, give counseling about abortions, or advocate for safe access to abortion from receiving US funding. But while the policy is meant to stop abortions, research shows that it has the opposite effect — and with deadly consequences for women. One 2019 study published in The Lancet found that during previous periods when the policy was in effect, abortions increased by 40% compared to periods where it was rescinded, contraceptive use dropped by 13.5% and pregnancies rose by 12%.