The ongoing abortion debate in America is jeopardizing the lives of women thousands of miles away, especially across Africa.
For many years, anti-abortion organizations in the U.S. have advocated for increased restrictions on abortion both domestically and internationally. This year, the Trump administration significantly boosted this movement, which aims to promote “family values” abroad. It unveiled extensive limitations on U.S. funding for groups involved in abortion-related activities overseas, potentially affecting up to $30 billion in assistance.
These recent restrictions further extend the efforts that U.S. anti-abortion organizations have pursued for years in Africa, a continent where healthcare infrastructure relies heavily on international financial support.
According to an analysis conducted by the Institute for Journalism and Social Change, seventeen U.S. anti-abortion nonprofit organizations allocated over $9.3 million throughout Africa during 2023 and 2024. This sum is in addition to the $16 million they directed to the continent between 2019 and 2022, a figure researchers noted is likely an underestimate.
This U.S. backing has encouraged the harassment of individuals involved in reproductive rights advocacy. Medical professionals, nurses, and activists in various African nations have faced detention, social media threats, and legal challenges.
Africa currently holds the grim distinction of being the most perilous region globally for women of reproductive age, experiencing the highest rates of maternal fatalities and unsafe abortion procedures. Although the Trump administration and anti-abortion organizations assert their actions safeguard lives, healthcare professionals and advocates contend that these policies ultimately lead to an increase in women’s deaths.
Responding to an inquiry from the Associated Press regarding the Trump administration’s updated regulations for U.S. foreign aid, the U.S. State Department stated: “The American people expect their tax dollars to support programs that save lives … and reflect American values, not fund abortion-related activities, left-wing social agendas, or wasteful overseas bureaucracies.”
In its statement, the department added, “U.S. assistance continues to support a wide range of maternal and child health services as part of the America First Global Health Strategy.”
Ascertaining the complete extent of financial contributions from U.S. anti-abortion charitable organizations to Africa presents a challenge.
Data accessible from the nonprofit tax records of the seventeen organizations examined by the Institute for Journalism and Social Change indicates that funds directed to Africa surged by 50% from 2019 to 2022, exceeding $16 million.
This financial support continued to expand, with these organizations spending nearly $9.4 million in Africa throughout 2023 and 2024, according to previously undisclosed data analyzed by the institute.
However, this represents “just the tip of the iceberg,” remarked Claire Provost of the institute.
In contrast to many other tax-exempt charitable entities, U.S.-based churches and certain religious organizations are exempt from filing annual financial reports that itemize their income, donations, and expenditures.
A 2024 report by Marie Stopes International indicated that personnel at its reproductive health clinics in various African nations experienced online and legal assaults from U.S.-based anti-abortion organizations and locally funded U.S. groups. In Congo, the report noted, health workers faced detention for days for offering legally sanctioned services, only to be released without charges.
The report stated, “The extent of the opposition has made abortion providers fearful of coming into work.”
In Ethiopia, the organization reported that the leader of the local branch of the U.S.-based Family Watch International has “targeted and trolled members of our senior leadership team on social media” and disseminated YouTube videos containing anti-abortion misinformation.
Within Kenya, the personal details, including names and addresses, of employees at reproductive rights organizations have been posted online, accompanied by accusations of murder.
The proprietor of a private abortion clinic in Nairobi reported that police have harassed and detained staff members. According to the owner, who spoke anonymously due to concerns about retaliation, officials solicit bribes and threaten legal action if payments are not made.
Repeated attempts by the Associated Press to obtain comments, including detailed questions, from the Kenyan Health Ministry, Justice Ministry, and the government spokesperson’s office went unanswered.
Twenty years ago, an international convention endorsed by African nations recognized safe abortion as a human right. This agreement, called the Maputo Protocol, mandates that signatory countries permit abortion in instances of rape, incest, fetal abnormalities, or when a woman’s health is at risk. However, its enforcement has been inconsistent, compelling women to resort to illegal procedures. Annually, sub-Saharan Africa experiences more than 6 million unsafe abortions, as reported by the African Institute for Development Policy.
Last year, Christian anti-abortion organizations from the U.S., Europe, and Africa, alongside senior Kenyan officials, convened in Nairobi for a conference titled “Promoting and Protecting Family Values in Challenging Times.”
Charles Kanjama, who serves as vice chairman of the African Christian Professionals Forum and organized the conference, characterized the abortion debate as “a culture war.”
The anti-abortion agenda, moreover, is steadily gaining traction.
In May, a Kenyan appeals court reversed a previous decision that had upheld abortion access as a fundamental right. This case was spearheaded by Kanjama, who stated that the court’s ruling “restored constitutional balance.”
During June, delegates from 20 African nations concluded a draft charter at a Ghanaian conference, advocating for the rejection of sexual and reproductive health rights. This document is slated for a vote by the African Union in the coming year. Sharon Slater, co-founder of the U.S.-based anti-abortion organization Family Watch International, was involved in fundraising efforts for the charter’s adoption at the European Parliament in Brussels earlier this year.
