On January 20, President Trump signed an executive order that placed a 90-day pause on U.S. foreign assistance to all developing countries while the government evaluates programs’ efficiency and alignment with U.S. foreign policy.
A new brief by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law finds that the order will likely have far-reaching consequences for a broad range of activities and interventions to advance the rights of LGBTQI+ persons in developing countries.
Under previous administrations, the U.S. has been a global leader in LGBTQI+ rights and one of the largest bilateral donors supporting the inclusion of LGBTQI+ individuals in development programming. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has been instrumental in addressing various LGBTQI+ issues globally in partnership with local organizations. The agency has also developed LGBTQI+-inclusive, locally led development programs that result in improved economic outcomes.
Research by the Williams Institute has found that societies that are more accepting of LGBTQI+ people and their rights tend to be more economically prosperous and experience stronger levels of democracy.
President Trump’s order signifies a shift in U.S. foreign policy and is likely to have significant consequences for LGBTQI+ people around the world in both the short term and long term.
- PEPFAR. The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which disburses $7.5 billion to support HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention programs, initially suspended aid, forcing countries to halt the distribution of all HIV medications already procured under PEPFAR contracts.
- On January 28, an exemption was announced that seemed to allow for the distribution of HIV treatment drugs. However, it is still unclear whether PEPFAR will be able to provide HIV prevention medication or other services, such as antenatal care for pregnant women with HIV.
- USAID. More than 50 career civil servants, many in senior positions at USAID, have been placed on administrative leave, resulting in a loss of leadership and capacity across the agency.
- Stigma and Discrimination. Sixty countries continue to criminalize consensual same-sex activity, and in many others, LGBTQI+ people face stigma and discrimination. A pause and possible cessation of funding could force programs that work to prevent LGBTQI+ violence and imprisonment, as well as exclusion in education, employment, health care, and public services, to close down.
“The executive order likely represents a first step toward the Trump administration’s broader goal of removing LGBTQI+ issues from U.S. foreign policy and development assistance,” said report author Ari Shaw, Senior Fellow and Director of International Programs at the Williams Institute. “Pausing foreign aid disrupts vital programs that serve LGBTQI+ individuals and jeopardizes the lives of LGBTQI+ people worldwide.”