On January 20th 2025, Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States. Following his swearing-in, he signed several executive orders in line with his campaign promises. Two orders, in particular, raised serious concerns for global health and development efforts:
- Withdrawal of the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO.
- Funding freeze on all USAID projects worldwide.
Recognising the global implications of these executive orders, Lex Initiative convened a webinar titled “The Ripple Effects: Understanding the Impact of U.S. Policy Changes on Marginalised Women and Communities”.
Some of the key discussions were on how the WHO withdrawal could impact access to life-saving healthcare for vulnerable populations, the consequences of the USAID funding freeze on women’s rights programs in Africa and strategies for African-based organisations to respond to funding shifts and sustain advocacy efforts.
The webinar outcomes include calls for collaboration among human right groups in order to demand for policy reversals while seeking alternative funding mechanisms.
It was also agreed that there’s need to strengthen local funding strategies and engage African governments to increase domestic investment in social justice programs thereby reducing over reliance on foreign aids.
As these global events unfold, Lex Initiative remains committed to advocating for marginalised communities and amplifying African voices in the global human rights discourse.
The U.S. Withdrawal from WHO: A Crisis in Global Health Governance and the Legal Implications for Marginalised Women in Nigeria.
